Special to Iredell Free News

EnergyUnited is awarding over $43,000 in Bright Ideas education grants to 40 teachers to fund engaging classroom learning projects.

Students at schools in Alexander, Cabarrus, Davie, Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Iredell, Rockingham and Rowan counties, will participate in Bright Ideas projects funded by EnergyUnited this year.

“EnergyUnited is very proud to support our educators’ continued efforts to innovate in the classroom, whether in person or virtually, even as our communities respond to the many challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said EnergyUnited Communications Manager Maureen Moore.

This year’s winning projects leverage investments in technology and tools that help facilitate social distancing while finding unique ways to achieve desired educational outcomes.

Fourteen projects in Iredell County will receive Bright Ideas grants.

2020 EnergyUnited Bright Ideas Recipients

Since the Bright Ideas grant program began in 1994, EnergyUnited has contributed more than nearly $900,000 to local teachers.

“Investing in the education of our youth and future leaders is just one way in which EnergyUnited demonstrates its resounding commitment to community,” Moore said.

EnergyUnited is one of 26 member-owned electric cooperatives in the state offering Bright Ideas grants to local educators. During the month of November, North Carolina’s electric cooperatives will award teachers statewide close to $600,000 in Bright Ideas education grants.

Since 1994, North Carolina’s electric cooperatives collectively have awarded more than $12.9 million to North Carolina teachers. The Bright Ideas program has reached well over 2.5 million North Carolina students and sponsored more than 12,000 projects in all subjects including math, reading, science and technology, history, music and the arts.

Bright Ideas grant applications are collected each year from April through mid-September, and winning proposals are selected in a competitive evaluation process by a panel of judges. The application process will reopen for interested teachers in April 2021.

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To find out more information about the Bright Ideas grant program, visit www.energyunited.com/bright-ideas-program.