From sensory gardens to student-constructed ferris wheels, Berkeley County School District teachers have some innovative projects in the works.
Thirty educators/employees from 15 BCSD schools were able to secure funding – either individually or as a team – through Berkeley Electric Cooperative’s 2023 Bright Ideas Education Program.
The program supports innovative and effective classroom education curriculum that cannot be covered by traditional school financing. Individual teachers can apply for grants up to $1,000 while teams of teachers are eligible for grants up to $1,500.
Teachers in public and private schools, K-12 in Berkeley Electric Cooperative’s service area are eligible to participate. Grants are awarded for projects in any discipline and are intended to help teachers within Berkeley Electric Cooperative’s service area produce a better-educated workforce. The grants are designed to help teachers introduce innovative teaching methods.
Grants are awarded annually in a competitive evaluation process. This year, with the support of the community, Berkeley Electric was able to distribute more than $35,000 to 30 different educational projects across the Lowcountry, supporting teachers and their classrooms.
Congratulations to three Goose Creek High educators for securing Bright Ideas Grants!
School librarians Melanie Dukes and Joanne Suzara are using the grant money to give the media center a bit of an upgrade. They will purchase a new laminator, two rolls of laminating film and a table to hold the machine.
Meanwhile, special services teacher Jenelie Vagutchay also received a grant and is using it to purchase more interactive instructional materials, manipulatives and educational supplies to help teach her students more independent life skills. Vagutchay works with her students to learn tasks such as making the bed, washing dishes, folding clothes and more.
“Doing this as part of their daily routines will help them develop more life skills and help them become independent,” she said.