Bright Ideas

Bright Ideas is Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative's way of "energizing innovative lessons" by educators at local schools. Mid-Carolina gave approximately $16,300 in October 2011, the sixth annual Bright Ideas program recognition.

Teachers at 15 area schools were awarded grants for their innovative ideas for classroom projects. Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative sponsors the Bright Ideas program to allow educators to compete for funding outside of often-limited school district resources.

The "Bright Ideas Grant Patrol" made special visits to 17 grant winning teachers. The program sponsors surprised the teachers with a check and other prizes to celebrate their awards with the entire school.

"The idea behind Bright Ideas," according to MCEC's CEO Jack Wolfe, "is to help empower good teachers, to provide support outside of normal public school funding for great projects that deserve to be used in the classroom, yet need that extra assistance."

Bright Ideas is open to classroom educators of grades kindergarten through twelve in Lexington School Districts One, Two, Three and Five; or at Hollywood Elementary (Saluda County); or Pinegrove Elementary, Rhame Elementary, Sandel Elementary, St. Andrews Middle or Columbia High (Richland County).

Applications are available May thru September. To learn more about MCEC's Bright Ideas program, contact Emily Stowe at 803-749-6431.

2012 Applications will be available in May.

2011 Grant Winners

Crack the Code - Ashlee Young, Lexington Elementary School: Students will use iPod Touches to scan QR codes answering the essential scientific question, "What do all living things need?" Students will collaborate to predict before project and to reflect afterwards creating a higher leveled thinking learning environment. This student led project will allow opportunities to integrate multiple subject areas.

American Girl History – Cindy Wanish, Oak Pointe Elementary: Using the well written "American Girls" novels our 3rd thru 5th grade girls will meet together in an afterschool American Girl history club. Each club will involve a literature based history lesson, a period appropriate snack and a take home craft from the American Girl time period being studied.

One Byte is Worth a Thousand Words – Jeanette Miles, Irmo High School: Students will digitize their original artwork, old photos, and objects reminiscent of their earlier years to create autobiographical newsletters, portfolios and other products. They will interview family and friends to examine how language and images that shaped them can become life lessons to prepare them for success in the future.

Carolina Fence Garden Maintenance – Matthew Schnabel, White Knoll High:  Our school installed a Carolina Fence Garden using native plant species on school property inside an SCE&G power line right-of-way. We need tools and supplies to maintain the trail, garden area, and blue bird boxes through the area and pesticides to eradicate nonnative species such as fire ants and kudzu.

Using the iPad2 for Students with Autism – Scott Thur, Irmo Middle School: An iPad2 would open the world up to my students with Autism. It will help them build their core academic and communication areas. It would be used in all academic and functional domains across lessons and activities. It would allow them to access areas of learning that traditional methods cannot.

GAMES GALORE – Amy Collins, Oak Pointe Elementary: Students attend math game clubs led by community volunteers. During club children participate in mathematical discussions, play a math game, and enjoy a theme related snack. Clubs feature different math skills. Students take home math games to play with their family. In April fifth graders lead first grade math clubs.

OPL 2000 – Troy Taylor, Lexington Technology Center: Students are designing and building a device to be used by the fire department and emergency responders to help lift disabled and/or obese patients on emergency and non-emergency calls.

Tomahawk Shop and Indian Grounds Coffee Shop – Lara Mathis, Gilbert High School: Students who are enrolled in the Occupational Credential Program are not earning a high school diploma; instead they are working towards an occupational certificate. The program focuses on teaching students needed vocational skills to be successful in employment as well as necessary post-secondary life skills.

Funding First Grade – Shannon Toole, River Springs Elementary: This project will allow us to build effective classroom libraries in all our first grade rooms. We currently do not have anywhere near the recommended 700 leveled reading books per classroom. This project would allow us to match each reader in our classrooms to books they can read with characters that look like themselves.

We Can Talk Too – Katy Handell, White Knoll Elementary: The children in my classroom have severe Autism and are non-verbal and communicate using pictures. Communication devices will be implemented in all facets of my students' life, so they will be able to engage in conversation like everyone else. My student's will be afforded the ability to communicate with their classmates, teachers, regular education peers, and caregivers. The simple ability to request basic needs in all settings will be afforded to my student's through this project.

Read and Ride - Janet Boltjes, Gilbert High School: The project combines benefits of exercising the body with exercising the mind. An exercise bike with an eBook reader attached will be placed in the school's library for students use.  Students will compete for "miles traveled" and "pages read" awards, presented at the end of each quarter and school year.

Renewable Energy Instruction Utilizing PASCO Date Acquisition Technology – Patrick Smallwood, Dutch Fork High School: The grant supports a new cross-curricular initiative in which 10-12 grade students will utilize PASCO probeware technology to obtain and analyze lab data concerning the utilization of renewable energy sources. Horizon Renewable Energy lab equipment and curriculum will be implemented in current biology and chemistry courses.

Star Light, Star Bright: What's in our Sky Tonight? – Lisa Ross, Carolina Springs Elementary: Star Light, Star Bright: What's in our Sky Tonight? Will give 4th grade students and their families an opportunity to view the night sky using a telescope and other equipment purchased with money from the grant. The event will be a culmination of an astronomy unit. The time students spend with family members and classmates looking at planets, the moon, constellations, and stars through an actual telescope will enable them to connect their learning in the classroom to a real-world experience.

iCan with iPad – Kelli Smith, Gilbert Elementary School: We teach 47 students. Six of these students have special needs, seven are ESOL students, and seven are gifted students. We would like to empower them by having an iPad available in each of our classrooms to provide additional supports and functionality for them to succeed, along with enrichment opportunities.

Math Matters – Michelle Suhrbier, H. E. Corley Elementary: Students will improve math skills through active participation in math games and reading children's math literature. Parents will be invited to a workshop where they will have the opportunity to see math games modeled and make the games. These games and literature will provide reinforcement of math skills at home.

If We Can't Build, We Will Beautify – Tracy Player, Chapin High School: Members of a special education class, the Environmental Club and the Horticulture Class will work together as a team to establish a garden in an unsightly area of campus. The team will complete the tasks of planting, maintaining and harvesting the food from the garden. The special education class will then prepare and serve the food at the Claw Cafe, a school based restaurant.  This restaurant provides school based jobs for the special education class.

Amazing Animals of South Carolina – Shaney Mahaffey, Forts Pond Elementary: In the Amazing Animals of South Carolina project, students will explore the habitats and adaptations of South Carolina's indigenous animals. Students will create presentations of the animals to be shared with parents and the school community.