REMC awards Bright Ideas grants to 13 area teachers

ASHEBORO — Randolph Electric Membership Corporation (REMC) recently honored educators by awarding $14,000 in Bright Ideas grants to 13 area teachers.

More than 2,600 students at schools in Randolph, Moore, Montgomery and Chatham Counties will benefit from the grants, which support classroom projects in science, art, physical education and more.

“Investing in education is one of the many ways Randolph EMC puts its commitment to caring for our communities into action. Through the Bright Ideas program, we’re proud to support teachers who are finding creative ways to inspire students, spark curiosity and bring learning to life,” said Christian Morgan, Public Relations Manager at Randolph EMC.

REMC is one of 26 electric cooperatives in North Carolina offering Bright Ideas grants to local teachers.

In more than 30 years, North Carolina’s electric cooperatives collectively have awarded more than $17 million in Bright Ideas funding for over 16,000 projects supporting teachers and benefiting more than 4 million students. Since 1994, Randolph Electric has invested more than $360,000 in grants.

REMC accepts Bright Ideas grant applications each year from April through mid-September. The application process will reopen for interested teachers in April 2027. Find more information about the program on RandolphEMC.com.

Here is a list of winners:

Randolph County

■ Jennifer Fales of Uwharrie Charter Academy High School won $1,184 for the project, “Robotics for Tomorrow: Building Tomorrow’s Technical Workforce.” This project will equip students with hands-on robotics experience, teaching them to build, program and troubleshoot autonomous robots. The grant funding will provide essential materials and technology to strengthen STEM skills and prepare students for future careers in manufacturing, engineering and technology.

■ Kaye Williams of Uwharrie Charter Academy High School won $1,000 for her project, “There are Rivers in the Sky Rain Garden.” This project will educate students about the importance of rivers, wetlands and protecting fragile ecosystems. Working with the local Agricultural Extension Agency, the school hopes to begin restoring and monitoring its existing wetlands, with a rain garden serving as the first step.

■ Pam Grettler of Uwharrie Charter Academy Middle School won $436 for her “Ultimate Math Clock Challenge” project. Students will apply math concepts by designing and building their own working clocks. They will use protractors to measure angles, create mathematical expressions representing each number on the clock, and decorate their clocks around a theme of their choosing. The project combines geometry, problem-solving and creativity in a hands-on learning experience.

■ Paola Reyes Valencia of Coleridge Elementary won $473 for her project, “Worlds, Words, and Wonder.”  This project will create a hands-on classroom resource library for K–5 students learning English, including those who also receive special education services. The collection will feature science-related picture books, phonics tools, vocabulary activities, culturally diverse reading materials and interactive learning manipulatives. These resources will support language development, literacy and science instruction.

Moore County

■ Brandy Enloe of Elise Middle School won $850 for her project, From Fins to Flora. This project will create an interactive classroom aquaponics system where students explore ecosystems, environmental science and the relationship between plants, fish and beneficial bacteria. Through daily hands-on care, students will monitor water quality, fish health and plant growth while learning about natural cycles and environmental stewardship. The permanent classroom installation will provide these learning opportunities for years to come.

Montgomery County

n Nora Beasley of West Middle in Mount Gilead won $1,295 for her project, “Launching Wolverines into the Stars.” Inspired by the Artemis II mission, sixth-grade students will build and launch their own rockets through a hands-on STEM project exploring physics, motion, energy and engineering. Students will work in teams to assemble rockets, conduct outdoor launches, collect data and analyze results while developing problem-solving, critical-thinking and collaboration skills.

■ Christy McIntyre of West Middle School in Mount Gilead won $420 for her project, “Science Outside the Window.” This project will create outdoor learning spaces with raised garden beds where sixth-grade students can explore plant growth, ecosystems, soil conditions and environmental changes through hands-on science activities. The garden areas will provide lasting opportunities for students to make observations, collect data and connect classroom lessons to the natural world.

■ Natalie Smith of West Middle School in Mount Gilead won $420 for her project, “Classroom Outside Our Window”. This project will transform the outdoor space outside a sixth-grade classroom into a wildlife learning area featuring bird feeders, bird seed and native flowering plants to attract birds and pollinators. Students will use the space for daily observations, data collection and hands-on investigations to better understand ecosystems, biodiversity and the interactions between plants and animals.

■ Jennah King of East Middle School in Biscoe won $2,000 for her project, “Capturing Our Story.” The “Knightly” News Journalism Project will give middle school students hands-on experience researching, writing, interviewing, photographing and producing school news broadcasts. With new camera equipment, students will create weekly broadcasts and highlight school events and positive stories while developing communication, literacy, teamwork, leadership and digital media skills.

■ Kim Simpson of Green Ridge Elementary School in Biscoe won $1,263 for a project, “Green Ridge STEM Olympics.” Green Ridge STEM Olympics will bring students in Pre-K through fifth grade and their families together for a schoolwide event featuring hands-on engineering and science challenges. Through activities such as building towers, designing boats and constructing bridges, participants will develop problem-solving, creativity and teamwork skills, while grant-funded materials will continue supporting STEM learning throughout the school year.

■ Cynthia Martin of Montgomery County Early College in Troy won $1,600 for her project, ” MCEC Phenoms Clean Water Initiative.”  The MCEC Phoenix Phenoms Clean Water Initiative will give ninth- and tenth-grade students hands-on experience studying water quality through fieldwork and laboratory investigations. Students will collect and analyze water samples, identify aquatic organisms and evaluate the health of local waterways while developing scientific research skills and a greater appreciation for clean water and healthy ecosystems.

■ Kymberlie Hare of Montgomery County Early College in Troy won $1,059 for her project, “Math 3 Escape Room.” Students will participate in an interactive escape-room challenge designed to review key Math 3 concepts in preparation for the End-of-Course (EOC) exam. Working in teams, they will solve problems involving trigonometry, polynomials, logarithms, circles and statistics to uncover security codes and complete the final challenge, strengthening problem-solving and critical-thinking skills along the way.

Chatham County

■ Joshua Caviness of Chatham Central High School in Siler City won $2,000 for a project called, “Built for the Future.”  The Built for the Future project will bring laser cutting and engraving technology into Chatham Central High School’s Carpentry and Woodworking program, giving students new opportunities to combine traditional craftsmanship with digital design. Students will learn to design, fabricate and assemble increasingly complex projects while developing skills in precision, creativity and modern manufacturing that will benefit future classes as well.