22 teachers in Durham, Franklin, Nash/Rocky Mount, Johnston, Granville and Wake counties have been awarded the 2024-2025 Bright Ideas grants. The grants will be used for a variety of classroom programs throughout the school year. Grant winners are:
| Serena Perry | Bunn Middle School | Franklin |
| Carol Jemiolo | Apex Friendship Middle | Wake |
| Lora Pittman | Coopers Elementary | Nash |
| Darcie Helbig | Smithfield-Selma High | Johnston |
| Margret Billups | Rocky Mount Middle | Nash |
| Edwin Davis | Needham Broughton High | Wake |
| Dan McKey | Durant Road Elementary | Wake |
| Carolyn Vickers | Butner-Stem Elementary | Granville |
| Tommy Kemp | Franklinton High | Franklin |
| Deidra Hunter | Englewood Elementary | Nash |
| Sarah Downum | Franklinton Middle | Franklin |
| Michael Sheldon | Louisburg High | Franklin |
| Angela Carmichael | Rocky Mount High | Nash |
| Soheila Lippard | South Granville High | Granville |
| Star Shaffer | Mount Vernon Middle | Wake |
| Tristan Maness | East Wake Academy | Wake |
| Ashley Holloman | Corinth Holders High | Wake |
| Shalondra Brown | C G Credle Elementary | Granville |
| Natalie Shearin | Edwards Elementary | Nash |
| Jessica Whaley-Davis | Holly Springs Elementary | Wake |
| Allyn Arrowood | Hodge Road Elementary | Wake |
| Stephen Rasey | Holly Springs High | Wake |
The funds for the Bright Ideas grants come from WEMC members who agree to round up their light bill to the nearest whole dollar through the Operation RoundUp program. For example, if the bill is $190.91 – the bill will be rounded up 9 cents to $191.00. These pennies add up to major dollars. Partial funding also comes from the North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation, located in Raleigh, NC. The NCEMC consists of a family of corporations formed to support the state’s 27 electric cooperatives.
Wake Electric is a non-profit electric utility serving over 56,000 consumers in parts of Durham, Franklin, Granville, Johnston, Nash, Vance, and Wake counties.
