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Teachers earn 'Bright Idea' grants
fle special Bright Ideas 4
Coastal Electric Cooperative executive vice president and CEO F. Whit Hollowell stands with Frank Long Elementary School medial specialist Dr. Melissa Sands after presenting one of the cooperative foundation’s Bright Idea grants to the educator. - photo by Photo provided.
Coastal Electric Cooperative and its foundation began awarding more than $20,000 in Bright Ideas grants Oct. 24 to teachers in Bryan, Liberty and McIntosh counties.
The winning teachers were caught by surprise when the Bright Ideas Prize Patrol came to their classroom to present giant balloon bouquets, gifts and big presentation checks.
Coastal Electric’s executive vice president F Whit Hollowell said, “With Coastal Electric Cooperative and its foundation, teachers have the power to put their Bright Ideas to work.  Bright Ideas awards teachers money for creative, innovative lessons that light up students’ love of learning.”
Dr. Melissa Sands, media specialist at Frank Long Elementary School, was one of the recipients of the grants this year.
She received $895 for her idea of “Flipping for Digital Storytelling.” Through the implementation of this initiative, students will craft, record and share their individuality by integrating personal voice into storytelling. Students, using the digital Flip Video camera, will document their story, integrate the footage with their narrative and generate a multimedia experience to share with others.  
Flip Video cameras are plug-and-play video cameras.
Sands said, “The purchase of the Flip Video cameras will allow me to enhance my current instruction with Photo Story, Movie Maker and information literacy.  The addition of Flip Video cameras to my media program, will allow for the cross-curriculum exploration of personal voice in writing styles and the techno environment.”
Principal Scott Carrier said he was excited about the award and what it means for his students.  Since FLE enters the Georgia Media Festival each year, Carrier said he is interested to see what projects students would create using the new cameras.
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