The new year began on a high note for many public school teachers across Carroll, Haralson, Heard and Paulding counties as representatives of Carroll Electric Membership Cooperative (EMC) visited classrooms to deliver Bright Ideas grants. The grants celebrated educators whose creative project proposals will bring new, engaging learning experiences to their students.
In keeping with program tradition, checks were hand-delivered to schools and presented as a surprise to both teachers and students in the classroom. Over the course of a week, a total of $96,412.30 was awarded to 122 teachers in 37 schools.
To be considered for a Bright Ideas grant, teachers must submit an online application at the beginning of the school year outlining their proposed classroom project and anticipated budget. All applications are judged blindly by the cooperative’s Foundation Trustees and are automatically disqualified if they reference a specific teacher or school, ensuring a fair and unbiased selection process.
“I remember the days as a teacher wanting to do extra things for a particular unit or subject but not having the funds to do it,” said June Barber, a Carroll EMC Foundation Trustee. “It brings joy to my heart to see these grants fulfill the dreams of making a lifelong impact in the lives of students.”
Barber, who currently works as a part-time social worker for the Heard County School System, brings both professional and personal perspective to the grant selection process as a former educator and school counselor.
“When I taught high school economics, I once created a mock wedding so students could learn real-world budgeting and finances,” Barber said. “Former students still mention that project years later, which shows how impactful hands-on learning can be.”
Public school educators teaching grades pre-K through 12 can request up to $1,000 to fund a project in the classroom including but not limited to science, technology, engineering, arts, math and social studies. A school is automatically made eligible if at least one enrolled student’s home is served by Carroll EMC.
Bright Ideas grants are funded through the generosity of Carroll EMC Members who participate in Operation Round Up®, a program that allows Members to round up their electric bills to the nearest dollar. The program is governed by the cooperative’s Foundation Trustees and supports a variety of community initiatives including Bright Ideas, Impact Grants, student scholarships, and health and human services programs.
To see a complete list of this year’s Bright Ideas recipients, please visit carrollemc.com/brightideas. Applications for 2026 will be accepted beginning August 15.
