Last week, Coastal Electric Cooperative wrapped up its 2023 Bright Ideas prize patrol, surprising local teachers with over $40,000 in classroom grants. Over two weeks, Coastal Electric Cooperative CEO Chris Fettes and staff visited 29 classrooms in Bryan, Liberty and McIntosh counties to bring teachers’ innovative ideas to reality.
Funding for Bright Ideas grants comes from Coastal Electric Cooperative members who allow their electric bills to be rounded up to the next dollar through Operation Round Up. Those nickels and dimes are pooled together and invested back into the community through the Coastal Electric Cooperative Foundation.
Since the Bright Ideas program’s inception in 2002, almost half a million dollars has been awarded to give local teachers the power to put their creative teaching ideas into action.
Summary of Bright Ideas grants awarded in Liberty County: Liberty County High School “Together We Can” By Dr. Susan McCormack $1,177.27
• Students will create how-to YouTube videos to serve as guides for local citizens who are in search of employment.
• Students learn business traits such as generating goals, action plans and project development.
• Students learn by teaching and communicating with others in the community outside the classroom.
Button Gwinnett Elementary School “Teach Fractions While You Bake” By Lisa Wright $585.90
• Students will learn to apply math skills to everyday life situations as they bake desserts using recipes.
• They will then host a mock baked goods sale and be allocated money to spend.
• The project exposes students to the art of cooking.
“STEM Coding Robots” By Cindy Beanum, Ervin Beanum and Tracie Chavis $1,944.81
• Grades 3-5 will build robots in teams and then code robots to move and interact.
• Grades K-2 will use a game to learn basic coding techniques.
“Snap Into Science and Writing” By Tracie Chavis $859.73
• Students will each receive a bottle of Snapple, which they will use to participate in research projects based on fun facts found under Snapple lids.
• Students will reuse Snapple bottles for a variety of science experiments.
Joseph Martin Elementary School “ Hands-On Learning for Kindergarten” By Chrissy Scroggins $700.39
• Hands-on learning centers will help kindergarten students hone English language arts and math skills.
• Centers will promote peer engagement and problem-solving.
Taylors Creek Elementary School “SEL Opportunity” By Brian Williams and Debra Kissinger $1,788
• Project promotes social and emotional learning by pairing students with mentors to build character, athletic skills and relationships.
• The school is partnering with the PGA to offer golf lessons to students who might not otherwise have access.
“I Speak Drone” By Tiffany Leon-Peterson $1,999.82
• The project will expose English Language Learners to multiple programming languages, and require them to apply the language skills they have already acquired.
• Students will work together to execute commands and solve problems using an unmanned aerial vehicle.
“TCE gets ‘TECHY’ with Sphero Robots” By Shirley English $1,974
• The project will incorporate robots into students’ time in the tech lab.
• Groups will code robots and work collaboratively to solve problems.
Liberty Elementary School “Young Ecologists Exploring High Marsh Ecosystems” By Jessica Cook $2,000
• Students will replicate a research project conducted by the UGA Marine Institute on Sapelo Island.
• Students will monitor changes in plant community composition over time in the high marsh area around the salt pans along Jones Creek in Midway.
“Recycling for Pet Rescue” By Robin Perry and Nichelle Hughes
$1,591.92
• Students will collaborate with Keep Liberty Beautiful to collect and sort recycling items, as well as learn about the benefits of recycling.
• Money collected from recycled items will be donated to a local pet rescue on an ongoing basis. Midway Middle School “Middle Schoolers and Their Cell Phones” By DebraLee Adams $639.80
• Students will build a solar device they can use to charge their phones.
• They will also use collected data and calculate efficiency to support their design.
Lewis Frasier Middle School “S.T.E.A.M. Drones. NOW!” By Jeremy Meadows $1,390
• Students will use camera-capable and claw drones to create videos.
• The project will provide experience in various STEAM-focused careers, such as forensics, videography and searchand- rescue.
Liberty College & Career Academy “Farm Tower to Table” By Steven Nelly $1,941.05
• Students will use a hydroponics system to plant, grow and harvest food to cook, allowing them to explore a range of ingredients when creating a dish.
• The project expands career options and causes students to reflect on food sources.
“Forget-Me-Not” By Denisia Pope
$1,840
• Healthcare Science associates will experience what it’s like to have Alzheimer’s Dementia Disease.
• They will use virtual reality and an Oculus headset to experience common symptoms, building empathy and improving health outcomes.
