Angie Dean, Fairview Elementary: “The Lion’s Share of Costumes.” Through the purchase of performance materials for The Lion King Kids, third to fifth grade students will demonstrate what they have learned in fine arts education to live audiences.Kimley Daniel, West Newton Elementary: “The Power of Innovative Technology.” Kindergarten students will use an iPad and Osmo kit for hands-on learning in reading and math using an online app and manipulatives.Datha Curtis, Newton College & Career Academy: “Zen Den in the Library Learning Commons.” Funds will be used to equip stations in the library learning commons with multi-sensory interventions that promote academic and personal success.Greta Crawford, Oak Hill Elementary: “Sensory Sight Words.” Through the purchase of SnapWords kits, students will have access to a variety of visual and kinesthetic activities designed to enhance sight word mastery.Jennifer Cole and Alva Huff, Fairview Elementary: “Around the World in 180 Days.” Funds will be used to purchase culturally diverse versions of the same story, so students can read and learn what distinguishes one genre from another.Daphne Cofer and Rene’ Seals, Palmer-Stone: “Communication Stations: Voices on the Playground.” Through the purchase of communication stations and slap bracelets, nonverbal students will have a voice to be heard in indoor and outdoor settings.Kelly Byrd and Shelsey Reed, RISE Academy: “Using a Hydroponic Farm to Teach Horticulture.” Students will use both a hydroponics system and a post and soil system to study plant growth and ways to increase productivity.Sonny Braswell, Newton College & Career Academy: “Building for Bunnies.” Students in construction classes will engage in active learning by building and maintaining a rabbitry for the animal science program.“It made it very difficult for the judges to narrow down the selections.” This year’s grant recipients include: “We had many wonderful projects submitted this year,” Newton County School System Grants Coordinator Tiffany Merriweather said. Snapping Shoals also supports economic development, education, and other local no-profit agencies. We are fortunate enough to be able to hold onto these dollars now because prior to 2005 we were required to turn those funds over to the state and they could use them however they wanted to.”Īccording to Wood, Snapping Shoals EMC uses the funds to give back to the local community in various ways, such as the Bright Ideas grants for local teachers. When that happens, we have unclaimed dollars that accumulate. “There are a lot of members who move off our system and although we try our best to reach out to everyone, sometimes we don’t have forwarding addresses. “We give these back to our members as capital credits every year.

“Snapping Shoals EMC is a nonprofit and these funds are accumulated through the dollars we have leftover after our operating costs are paid for,” he said.

The grants, which are allocated from unclaimed capital credit funds, are designed to help teachers who wish to extend educational opportunities and activities for students by developing student interests and abilities. According to Chris Wood, Snapping Shoals EMC vice president of external affairs, the grants are provided through unclaimed capital credits. Snapping Shoals EMC recently awarded $18,000 in grants to Newton County School System teachers through the co-op’s Bright Ideas program.

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