Palmetto, GA – November 17, 2014 – Twelve Coweta school teachers were surprised with goodie bags, supplies and Bright Ideas checks ranging from $442 to $1,500 when a group of Operation Round Up representatives showed up Oct. 22-23 to announce the 2014 winners in classrooms across the county.

 

Every year, Coweta-Fayette EMC’s Operation Round Up initiative gives educators the opportunity to apply for grants dedicated to special teaching projects not often available in tightly budgeted school systems. Through this program, the Coweta-Fayette Trust, Inc., Board of Directors awarded nearly $30,000 in Bright Ideas grants to 26 deserving recipients throughout the EMC service area.

 

Earlier in 2014, the Trust asked K-12 teachers to submit proposals for innovative classroom projects, and over 100 grant applications were received. Without knowing the names of schools or the educators involved, a group of retired teachers from Coweta, Fayette and Heard Counties rated requests according to the level of creativity, as well as potential student involvement.

Winners in Coweta County were: Stephanie Steerman, Arnall Middle, $1,300 for “iVision”; Kelli Johnson Zachry, Brooks Elementary, $444.62 for “What is the Weather Today?”; Lindsey Haralson, Brooks Elementary, $640 for “Let’s “Boogie!”; Amy Beth Steward, Central Educational Center, $500 for “Classy Comics”; John Allen Vaughn, Coweta Charter and Career Academy, $725 for “Old-Fashioned Maps”; Tammy D. Hyder, East Coweta Middle, $1,500 for “STEM Locomotion Motion”; Kristen Brady, Lee Middle, $1,035.95 for “Smart Pens = Smart Students”; Kelly P. Duggan, Newnan Crossing, $1,500 for “Engineering and Design bring Geometry to Life!”; Teresa Barr, Newnan Crossing, $850 for “Saving Cape Hatteras”; Margaret Elizabeth Horne, Northgate High, $1,474.85 for “Genetically Modified E.Coli in The Science Classroom”; Paula Marie Corley, White Oak, $1,500 for “iRobot, Do You?”; and Susan J. Kennedy, Willis Road, $963.43 for “Build a Better Writer.”

 

The Bright Ideas program is sponsored by the Coweta-Fayette EMC Operation Round Up Trust from funds raised by EMC members who allow their bills to be “rounded up” to the nearest dollar each month. This is the tenth year the Bright Ideas grant has been available, and it will be offered to educators once again for the 2014-2015 school year. Interested teachers are encouraged to begin working now on plans for their applications.

 

Coweta-Fayette EMC is a consumer-owned cooperative providing electricity and related services to over 76,000 member accounts in Coweta, Fayette, Heard, South Fulton, Clayton, Spalding, Troup and Meriwether Counties.