Southern Rivers Energy (SRE) and the Southern Rivers Energy Trust, Inc. awarded $9,573 to local teachers to fund creative and dynamic lesson plans for students.
Ten teachers across six different counties were recently surprised with gifts and checks ranging from $700 to $1,000 by members of the Bright Ideas Brigade. The grants will be used to fund projects across various areas of education, including farming, robotics, coding, and art.
Southern Rivers Energy’s annual Bright Ideas program gives educators the opportunity to apply for special project funds not often available in tightly budgeted school systems. Since the program’s inception in 2007, nearly $248,000 has been awarded to local teachers, giving them the power to put their innovative teaching ideas into action.
Earlier in the year, certified teachers in grades Pre-K through 12 (public or private) in Bibb, Coweta, Crawford, Lamar, Meriwether, Monroe, Pike, Spalding, and Upson counties were asked to submit proposals for classroom projects. Without knowing the names of schools or the educators involved, a panel of retired teachers rated requests according to creativity, uniqueness of experience, teamwork, goals and learning objectives, potential to benefit future students, and student involvement.
Bright Ideas is funded through SRE’s Operation Round Up® program, where members volunteer to round up their monthly electric bill to the nearest dollar. The extra change collected from each participating member goes to the Southern Rivers Energy Trust, Inc. and is distributed by a volunteer board in the form of community and individual grants, as well as Bright Ideas grants and scholarships for local students.
Kathryn Green, Southern Rivers Energy’s Marketing and Communications Supervisor, stated, “I’m grateful for our many generous members who sacrifice a little extra change each month to fund Operation Round Up. By paying an even amount on their electric bills, our members make it possible for Southern Rivers Energy, through Bright Ideas, to empower local educators and improve the education of our future leaders; our children."
Teachers are encouraged to begin making plans now for 2024 project submissions. Applications will be available online at southernriversenergy.com in April and must be completed before the beginning of September. The Bright Ideas Brigade will notify grant winners in October.
2023 Bright Ideas Grant winners:
Bibb County
Rachael Smith, Bach to Basics, Academy of Classical Education, Macon: $945.00
Crawford County
Keturah Rogers, Claymation Camp, Crawford County Elementary School, Roberta: $1,000.00
Esther Wright, Heat Did What?!?, Crawford County Elementary School, Roberta: $1,000.00
Kaelynn Hankins, Raising Roberta, Crawford County High School, Roberta: $1,000.00
Lamar County
Katie Buffington, Coding Our Way into Robotics, St. George’s Episcopal School, Milner: $1,000.00
Kristin Truitt, SWAGS, Lamar County Elementary School, Barnesville: $983.00
Haley Turner, Attractive Art, Lamar County Elementary School, Barnesville: $700.00
Pike County
Amber Dean, Watersheds, Pike County Elementary School, Zebulon: $989.00
Carlie Kimbrell, Water, Water Everywhere, Pike County Elementary School, Zebulon: $1,000
Ashley Wright, It’s Robot Fighting Time, Pike County Elementary School, Zebulon: $956
About Operation Round Up® and the SRE Trust, Inc.
Operation Round Up is a Southern Rivers Energy program that has contributed more than $1.55 million to assist charitable groups, education, health and safety, and the arts across the nine counties served by SRE. This voluntary program allows SRE to round up participating members' electric bills to the next dollar and donate the extra change to the Southern Rivers Energy Trust, Inc. to be awarded as charitable community grants. A board of volunteer-members across SRE's service area meet bi-monthly to review applications and distribute funds according to the Trust bylaws and funding guidelines. Operation Round Up funds the Bright Ideas grant program, the SRE Trust Scholarship program, and community and individual grants.
Southern Rivers Energy is a member-owned cooperative providing electricity and related services to more than 16,000 members in Bibb, Coweta, Crawford, Lamar, Meriwether, Monroe, Pike, Spalding, and Upson counties.