NC Teachers Apply Early for Bright Ideas Grant and a Chance to Win $500 Visa Gift Card

RALEIGH, N.C., Aug. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Bright Ideas education grant program, which awards grants to North Carolina teachers for innovative classroom-based projects, is underway.  North Carolina's Touchstone Energy cooperatives, including North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation, have earmarked more than $590,000 to be distributed to deserving N.C. teachers this school year.  With the deadline quickly approaching, teachers are encouraged to beat the rush and apply early.  Teachers who submit Bright Ideas applications before August 16 will be entered into a drawing for a $500 Visa gift card.  

The drawing will take place on September 1, and the winning teacher will be notified immediately.  The winning teacher will also be recognized on the Bright Ideas website, www.ncbrightideas.com, where the application, and overview of the program and rules and regulations can be found.

Certified K-12 North Carolina teachers are eligible to apply for Bright Ideas grants of up to $2,000 for creative projects that would otherwise go unfunded.  The Bright Ideas education grant program is currently the only program in the state exclusively for classroom educators.

"We understand that teachers go above and beyond the call of duty for our state's youth, and they often spend their spare time and money on their students," said Morgan Genty, communications specialist for NCEMC.  "In order to reward them for applying early and for their extra effort, we are offering a $500 Visa gift card as an incentive again this year."

Since its inception in 1994, the Bright Ideas grant program has awarded more than $7.1 million in grant money to North Carolina's teachers to sponsor more than 6,500 projects benefiting more than 1.2 million students.

The application includes an explanation and outline of the proposed project and how it will benefit students in the classroom. A sample application and featured grants are available on the Bright Ideas website along with contact information if teachers have additional questions. The final deadline to apply is September 20.

The Bright Ideas education grant program is part of the electric cooperatives' ongoing commitment to North Carolina communities. North Carolina's electric cooperatives serve more than 2.5 million people in 93 of the state's 100 counties.

SOURCE North Carolina's Touchstone Energy cooperatives