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Watauga and Avery County Teachers Win Bright Ideas Grants from Blue Ridge Energy
Now in its 31st year of helping teachers provide creative learning projects for students, Blue Ridge Energy is awarding $7,378 in Bright Ideas grants to ten local Watauga and Avery classrooms.
Bright Ideas is an academic grants program sponsored annually by Blue Ridge Energy. Bright Ideas grants help further traditional academic learning by funding innovative educational projects beyond available school funding.
Blue Ridge Energy has awarded over $674,000 in Bright Ideas classroom grants, impacting over 150,000 local students and teachers. This year, the cooperative is funding winning grants totaling over $25,000 to 27 classrooms in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, and Wilkes counties.
Watauga and Avery County grant-winning teachers are:
- Abigail Bumgarner of Mabel School for Graphic Novels Meet Science - the $207 grant will be used to fund a classroom set of science-themed graphic novels that use engaging visuals and accurate content to make abstract science ideas easier to understand. By weaving English Language Arts strategies into science instruction, students will be able to practice close reading, make inferences, and summarize key ideas, all while deepening their understanding of 5th-grade science topics.
- Alexandra Miller of Hardin Park School for Little Learners Toolkits - the $850 grant will be used to provide structured task boxes for a self-contained kindergarten Autism (AU) classroom. Task boxes offer simple, visually guided activities that students can complete with minimal help, building confidence and independence. They support skills such as fine motor development, sorting, matching, counting, and following directions. Incorporating task boxes into daily routines will give students consistent chances to succeed, practice functional academic skills, and increase independence.
- Allyson McFalls of Blowing Rock School for The Heat is On! Using Solar Ovens to Explore Inquiry-Based Principles of Thermodynamics - the $357 grant will be used to purchase supplies to build solar ovens. Students will use the engineering design process to create a solar oven that explores the three major types of heat energy: convection, conduction, and radiation. Students will create blueprints and prototypes, and test and redesign their solar ovens, using pizza boxes and other common materials to explore how different materials work as insulators and conductors of heat.
- Jennifer Brown of Blowing Rock School for Soft Starts are the Right Start! - the $500 grant will be used to purchase a variety of building materials such as Legos, K'NEX, Magna Tiles, Snap Circuits, etc. Each morning upon arrival, students will have the opportunity to work and collaborate with friends to create and build. Soft starts can calm a student after a stressful morning and help the day get off to a fun start. While exploring and playing through trial and error with peers, students will further develop communication and collaboration skills and gain experience with basic engineering and construction processes.
- Laurie Jean Nelson-Gill of Blowing Rock School for Following the Science of Reading: Getting Decodable Books into Students' Homes - the $1,139 grant will be used to purchase Take-Home Decodable Books for 1st and 2nd graders. The book will provide students with practice applying the decoding skills they are taught in the context of compelling stories and informational texts. Stronger decoders are stronger spellers, and supplying educational materials typically used in schools for the home environment may assist students who experience difficulties with reading.
- Emma Kate Jones of Valle Crucis School for Middle School Makers Cart- the $245 grant will be used to purchase items for a makerspace cart that incorporates activities such as Legos, magnetic tiles, KEVA planks, K’NEX, and Tinkertoys. The makerspace cart will spark creative minds, teach critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and give students the chance to incorporate math, reading, and writing in ways they likely have not experienced in other classes.
- Haylee Bare of Watauga High School for Watauga Orchard and Gardens - the $1,000 grant will be used to purchase fruit trees and related planting and maintenance supplies to establish a student-run orchard on existing school land. As the fruit trees are established, students will be able to learn and practice plant grafting procedures, cross-pollination procedures, and learn more about the biological processes of fruit production as they see the development of fruit firsthand. The garden enables hands-on agricultural learning while providing produce for the school food pantry and supporting cross-department collaboration.
- Susan Deans Irving of Watauga High School for Sewing Skills for Sustainability and Service - the $1,000 grant will be used to purchase two serger machines and two sewing machines. The machines will enable students to learn to use machine technology in real-life scenarios through three multi-day lessons on sewing pillows, upcycling clothing, and clothing alterations. The goals of the Sewing Skills for Sustainability and Service project are to encourage students to think critically and to apply the knowledge they acquire in Interior Design classes that align with the CTE NC state objectives for textiles, elements of design, and accessories.
- Jennifer Lambert of Cove Creek School for Lego Bricks for Fractions - the $580 grant will be used to purchase Lego bricks and guides to support hands-on learning of fractions—an essential but challenging part of the math curriculum. Using Lego pieces as manipulatives makes abstract concepts concrete, allowing students to build, compare, and model fractions in engaging, collaborative ways. The approach promotes deeper understanding, increased confidence, and stronger problem-solving skills.
- Stephanie Watson of Avery County High School for the Avery High School Piano Lab - the $1,500 grant will be used to purchase eight pianos and one lab connector unit. The additional pianos will ensure all enrolled students have equal access to high-quality instruments and technology in a single, dedicated space. The lab will support synchronized group instruction, enable immediate teacher feedback, and integrate music technology resources to meet diverse learning needs. This investment will not only meet current demand but also expand access, equity, and excellence in music education, providing lasting benefits to students, families, and the community.
“Blue Ridge Energy is proud to be in our 31st year of providing Bright Ideas grants to support our schools and teachers in building brighter futures for our communities,” said Tasha Rountree, director of community relations and economic development for Blue Ridge Energy. “I’m proud that Blue Ridge can help by funding creative classroom projects that bring innovative learning experiences to our students.”
Blue Ridge Energy is part of several North Carolina electric cooperatives that provide Bright Ideas grants. Together, they have provided over $16.5 million for over 15,400 classroom projects, impacting over 3.8 million students in North Carolina.
Blue Ridge Energy is a member-owned electric cooperative serving some 80,000 members in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Caldwell, Avery, Alexander, and Caldwell counties. To learn more about the Bright Ideas grants program, visit www.BlueRidgeEnergy.com or contact your local Blue Ridge Energy office.