Bright Ideas

Jones-Onslow EMC, in conjunction with its statewide organization, North Carolina EMC, is proud to sponsor this educational grant program for teachers and principals at area public schools.

Bright Ideas was created to distribute mini-grants to support innovative, creative, and effective initiatives that cannot be covered by traditional school financing. The grants are awarded for projects in any discipline and are intended to help school personnel by acquiring needed materials, teaching units, and hands-on opportunities to enhance their student's education.

After eighteen years, Jones-Onslow's Bright Ideas Grant Program has awarded grants totaling close to $865,000 to 3,800 educators in the area. These grants have had a direct impact on the education of some 375,000 students in Jones, Onslow and the Topsail Schools of Pender county. The grants supplement, not replace, state and local funds, they are available to all public school teachers and principals, grades K-12. Educators are eligible regardless of whether their school is served by Jones-Onslow EMC or another utility. Educators may submit in one of two ways-individually or as part of a group/team. Individual educators will compete for grants of up to $500. Teams of educators may be awarded grants up to $2,000.

Grants are awarded based on their effectiveness through innovative and creative teaching methods, ongoing benefits and possibility of replication in other settings, and the direct involvement of as many students as possible without compromising the instructional value.

For more information about the Bright Ideas Program, call Jones-Onslow at (910) 353-1940 or (910) 577-6350 and speak with Paula Redick, the cooperative's Community Relations and Key Accounts Manager.