Bright IdeasMany teachers develop innovative classroom projects but lack the funds to implement them.  The Palmetto Electric Trust and Palmetto Electric Cooperative offer Bright Ideas, a grant program that provides funding for innovative classroom-based education projects that fall outside of normal school funding. Each year, teachers from southern Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton counties school submit proposals for innovative classroom projects.  The grants are intended to fund projects outside normal school funding. Teachers in grades K–12 from schools in our three-county service area can apply. A school may submit more than one application, but a teacher is limited to one application per school year.

The Palmetto Electric Trust is supported by funds from Operation Round Up®, a program in which the Cooperative’s members round their electric bill up to the nearest whole dollar. Additional funding is provided by Palmetto Electric’s Million Dollar Hole-In-One Shootout and WIRE (Women Involved in Rural Electrification).  If you have any questions about the grant program or application procedures, please contact your local Palmetto Electric office or e-mail us at brightideas@palmetto.coop.

These grants are designed to help teachers provide creative and innovative learning experiences for their students. Since Palmetto Electric launched the program in 2004, area teachers in Hampton, Jasper and southern Beaufort counties have received over $684,000 in grants.

Applications for 2023 Grants are now available. Deadline to apply is September 8, 2023.

APPLY HERE

2022 Bright Ideas Winners

Palmetto Electric Cooperative and Palmetto Electric Trust awarded $44,133 in Bright Ideas grants to 49 deserving teachers in southern Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton counties in 2022. Earlier this year, teachers submitted 85 proposals for innovative classroom projects. 

Our 2022 winners include:

Beaufort County

  • Bluffton Elementary School & Early Childhood Center—Dara Kappel, $982.

  • Cross Schools—Heather Brougham-Cook, $898.

  • Heritage Academy—Laurie Biggs, $989 and Lynn Owen, $860.

  • Hilton Head Christian Academy—Amy Inglis, $970.

  • Hilton Head Island High School—Matthew Pheiffer, $1,000; Corinne Spisz, $1,000; and Robert Stine, $1,000.

  • Hilton Head Island IB Elementary School—Jill Fernandez, $800; Beth Stern, $393; and Wen Wu, $620.

  • Hilton Head Island Middle School—Sarah Owen, $603.

  • Hilton Head Island School for the Creative Arts—Jennifer Friend-Kerr, $900.

  • Hilton Head Preparatory School—Laura Campbell, $1,000; Alyssa Gillis, $616; Louise Goodman, $910; Peg Hamilton, $1,000; Stephanie Pullon, $1,000; and Bethany Ramseur, $1,000.

  • May River High School—Rhonda Platt, $500 and Joseph Williams, $1,000.

  • St. Francis Catholic School—Troi Hopkins, $1,000.

  • St. Gregory the Great Catholic School—Christina Cleveland, $1,000 and Megan Gunkle, $1,000.

Hampton County

  • Estill High School—Beena Krishnamma, $1,000.

  • Hampton Elementary School—Ian Welch, $850.

  • Varnville Elementary School—Kelyne Buxton, $915; Darlene Ferrente, $1,000; Amanda Padgett, $1,000; Dawn Smith, $1,000; and Robin Taylor, $856.

  • Wade Hampton High School—Brianna Evans, $999 and Frances Fowler, $772.

Jasper County

  • Jasper CATE Center—Shane King, $1,000.

  • Ridgeland Elementary School—Jeffrey Abanto, $783; David DeLoach, $1,000; Kenneth Fisher, $910; and Karesha Taylor-Parnell, $1,000.

  • Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence—Halle Keiffer, $1,000.

  • Royal Live Oaks Academy of the Arts and Sciences Charter School— Bethanne Barner, $1,000; Lynne Davis, $1,000; Amber Palmer, $997; Stephen Reilly, $1,000; Terri Timothy, $626; and Patricia Wilson, $1,000.

  • Step of Faith Christian Academy—Alisha Herlong, $1,000.

  • Thomas Heyward Academy—Alfred Boni, $1,000; Alicia Crosby, $384; and Shari Smith, $1,000.