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 $640,000 in grants.

2021 Bright Ideas Winners

Palmetto Electric Cooperative and Palmetto Electric Trust awarded $40,365 in Bright Ideas grants to 50 deserving teachers in southern Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton counties in 2021. Earlier this year, teachers submitted 82 proposals for innovative classroom projects. 

Our 2021 winners include:

Beaufort County

  • Bluffton Elementary School & Early Childhood Center: Laura VanHorn, $350.

  • Bluffton Middle School: Deborah Birkett, $240; Heidi McAllister, $1,000.

  • Cross Schools: Lindsay Bowerman, $795; Heather Brougham-Cook, $910; Pam Donahue, $625; Karen Penale, $500; Nancy Ungvarsky, $1,000.

  • Heritage Academy: David Fuka, $800; Janice Magnin, $300.

  • Hilton Head Christian Academy: Amy Inglis, $1,000.

  • Hilton Head Island High School: Tarken Best, $1,000; Matthew Pheiffer, $1,000; Corinne Spisz, $1,000; Robert Stine, $750; John Wyatt, $1,000.

  • Hilton Head Island IB Elementary School: Jill Fernandez, $470; Terri Foy, $400; Katie Hawkins, $650; John Slaughter, $250.

  • Hilton Head Island School for the Creative Arts: Jennifer Friend-Kerr, $990.

  • Hilton Head Preparatory School: Laura Campbell, $1,000; Louise Goodman, $525.

  • May River Montessori: Sari Kandel, $1,000. 

  • Okatie Elementary School: Amanda Altman, $800.

  • Sea Pines Montessori School: Kathy Midkiff, $1,000.

  • St. Francis Catholic School: Kelley Burke, $430.

  • St. Gregory the Great Catholic School: Christina Cleveland, $1,000.

Hampton County

  • Ben Hazel Primary School: Stephanie Carroll, $1,000.

  • Patrick Henry Academy: Sarah Padget, $370.

  • Varnville Elementary School: Kelyne Buxton, $750; Amanda Padgett, $930; Robin Taylor, $890.

Jasper County

  • Hardeeville-Ridgeland Middle School: Antoinette Chunn, $750; Christina Randall, $875.

  • Polaris Tech Charter School: Kimberly Mickle, $670.

  • Ridgeland Elementary School: Jeffrey Abanto, $750.

  • Royal Live Oaks Academy of the Arts and Sciences Charter School:  Bethanne Barner, $1,000; Anne Brown, $1,000. Craig Cameron, $995; Gregg Dixon, $1,000; Amber Gallant, $1,000; Kadene Headley, $1,000; Ced’Rica Johnson, $1,000; Yonna Porter, $1,000; Romeo Ranera, $900.

  • Thomas Heyward Academy: Alfred Boni, $1,000; Aly Cavoto, $1,000; Ben Herod, $700; Kandice Hewlett, $1,000.