Special to IFN
EnergyUnited has awarded $51,000 in Bright Ideas education grants to 41 local teachers to fund creative, engaging projects for their classroom. More than 13,000 students across the cooperative’s 19-county service area will benefit from this investment in education, made possible by EnergyUnited.
Since the Bright Ideas grant program began in 1994, EnergyUnited has contributed more than $1 million to local teachers. Grants are awarded for projects in all subject areas, such as music, art, history, reading, science, math and more. Bright Ideas grants support local teachers with creative ideas to increase innovation, expand learning opportunities and enhance student success in K-12 classrooms.
“Teachers are the heart of our communities — their creativity, passion and dedication inspire the next generation of leaders every day,” said Brian Sisson, president of the EnergyUnited Board of Directors. “Through the Bright Ideas education grant program, EnergyUnited is proud to celebrate and support these outstanding educators whose innovative projects make a lasting impact on their students, in their classrooms and beyond.”
Bright Ideas grant applications are accepted by EnergyUnited each year from April through mid-September, and winning proposals are selected in a competitive evaluation process by a panel of volunteer judges who are members of the cooperative. The application process will reopen for interested teachers in April 2026.
“EnergyUnited is committed to strengthening communities and supporting teachers with our Bright Ideas education grant program” said Thomas Golden, chief executive officer of EnergyUnited. “Through this program, we’re empowering educators to spark creativity and inspire the next generation of innovators.”
EnergyUnited is one of 26 electric cooperatives in North Carolina offering Bright Ideas grants to local teachers. Over the past 31 years, North Carolina’s electric cooperatives have collectively awarded more than $16.5 million in grants, supporting nearly 15,400 projects and benefiting close to four million students statewide.
Since its inception, the Bright Ideas program has awarded nearly $16 million in education grants statewide, impacting more than 3.65 million students and helping teachers bring their best ideas to life. Each year, teachers are invited to submit proposals for funding, with the most creative and impactful ideas selected by a panel of volunteer judges.
Local Grant Recipients
Amber Hance
Harmony Elementary
$1,250
Amy Bowles
Alexander Central
$1,600
Anne Ellis
Statesville High
$1,800
Ashley Huss
West Alexander Middle
$1,414
Benjamin Conklin IV
West Iredell High
$1,800
Brady Overcash
West Iredell Middle
$1,000
Breanna McNamara
West Iredell Middle
$510
Courtney Frasier
Statesville High
$925
Danielle Gaimari
Lake Norman High
$1,000
Debra Lester
Troutman Middle
$672.13
Elizabeth Mace
Troutman Elementary
$1,000
Heather Smith
Lakeshore Elementary
$1.550
Jamie Iglesias
North Iredell Middle
$1,500
Jeffrey Foster
American Renaissance Middle
$1,750
Jocelyn Griffin
Cornerstone Christian Academy
$1,500
Kerry Reitschky
Selma Burke Middle
$1,766
Lena Watson
Cool Spring Elementary
$1,738.09
Lindsey Mehall
NB Mills Elementary
$851
Olivia Atchley
West Iredell Middle
$1,750
Paige Jackson
Alexander Central High
$1,800
Rachael Claire Moyer
The Brawley School
$900
Stephanie Lursen
Lakeshore Middle
$1,800
Tyana Bailey-Hancock
Statesville High
$1,450
LEARN MORE
Visit www.energyunited.com/bright-ideas/ to find the complete list of winners and photos from the cooperative’s recent celebration luncheons.
About EnergyUnited
EnergyUnited Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) is the largest electric cooperative in North Carolina with 144,615 member connections. Headquartered in Statesville, EnergyUnited provides electric service in portions of 19 counties in west central North Carolina which include Alexander, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Gaston, Guilford, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Randolph, Rockingham, Rowan, Stokes, Wilkes and Yadkin.