NEMEPA/NE SPARC Offer Grant Opportunity to Local Teachers

North East Mississippi Electric Power Association and NE SPARC have partnered to continue a grant program for local school teachers that facilitates innovative classroom-based education projects called Bright Ideas for the second year.

Through Bright Ideas, teachers can illuminate students’ love of learning.

The goal of the Bright Ideas grant program is to encourage, support and celebrate creative educational experiences for the students and staff in our service area.

In 2022, teachers from the Lafayette School District, Oxford School District and Pontotoc Ridge and Technical School won grants for their classrooms.

Local educators can apply for Bright Ideas grants of up to $500 for innovative, hands-on classroom projects. The grants are available to K-12 teachers in public schools that have at least one student who is a member of North East Power or NE SPARC customer.

Projects can be in any subject, and educators can apply individually or as a team.

To apply, teachers must include a budget; explain the implementation, goals, creative elements and evaluation of the project; and have approval from their school’s principal.

Applications will be blind judged through a competitive evaluation process, with judges looking for projects that feature inventive and creative approaches to learning.

Applications will be live on July 17 and online at www.NEMEPA.org/brightideas. The deadline to submit applications is Wednesday, Sept. 6. Teachers who submit their applications by the early bird deadline of August 11, 2023, will be entered to win prizes that would benefit their classroom.

For additional information about North East Mississippi Electric Power Association, see www.nemepa.org. For additional information about NE SPARC, see www.nesparc.com.

Staff report