CCSD Teachers Earn "Bright Ideas" Grants

Twenty-two Cherokee County School District teachers earned awards through this fall’s Bright Ideas Grants!

The competitive Bright Ideas Grants are awarded by Amicalola EMC to the most innovative ideas from schools in the energy provider’s service area.  This season’s grant cycle awarded $50,222 to 74 teachers from Cherokee, Dawson, Gilmer, Lumpkin and Pickens counties, including $14,867 awarded to 22 CCSD teachers.

Classroom projects, which can each earn as much as $1,000 in funding, must propose a “creative learning experience for students, benefit and directly involve students, contain a clearly defined plan of implementation and encourage teamwork among students” to be eligible for the grant program.  The grant presentations were made at CCSD schools by Amicalola EMC board member Travis Cline of Cherokee County, Director of Public Relations Stacey Fields and Member Service Manager Kathy Rochester.

“Congratulations to all of the recipients on your award-winning ideas to improve teaching and learning for our students.  We look forward to seeing all you will accomplish with your projects and how your ideas may inspire your fellow teachers,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said.  “Thank you to Amicalola EMC for its longtime support of our schools and community – it is greatly appreciated.”

The winning CCSD teachers are: 
Laura Brown of Creekland MS, $250 for Eighth-Grade Science Labs
Sharon Byrd of R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy, $767 for Thinking Classroom
Kylie Chance of R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy, $300 for Soft Start with STEM
Kristin Derenthal of Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy, $1,000 for Playground
Jada Hanson of Clayton ES, $500 for Camp Read-A-Lot
Meredith Hardt of Clayton ES, $1,000 for Get Caught Reading
Terri Jacomine of Creekview HS, $900 for Graphic Design
Sandy McPherson of Clayton ES, $800 for Makerspace Refresh
Melissa Manley of Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy, $400 for Sensory Pathways
Denise Marquez of Teasley MS, $600 for Virtual Field Trips
Jaimee Moss of Ball Ground ES STEM Academy, $750 for Ball Ground Buddies
Jessica Nohner of Ball Ground ES STEM Academy, $1,000 for Play Away
Whitney Oliver of R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy, $800 for America Runs on Reading
Laura Peterson of Cherokee HS, $900 for Spread the Word
Jacqueline Powell of Creekview HS, $900 for Gardening & Literature
Scott Reece of Teasley MS, $800 for Video and Raider TV 
Eli Rollman of Creekland MS, $500 for Literacy in History
Traci Rollman of Creekland MS, $1,000 for Art in History 
Jason Sirard of Teasley MS, $400 for Energy Transformations
Dr. Lisa Spence of Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy, $400 for Hallway to Wellness
Kailey Webb of Cherokee HS, $450 for Reality Check
Jennifer Womack of Cherokee HS, $450 for Maslow Over Bloom
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