News & Press
Tri-County EMC recently surprised 27 teachers in Baldwin, Jasper, Jones and Putnam Counties with educational grants totaling $30,000. Since 2008, Tri-County Electric Membership Cooperative has provided more than $330,000 in grants to local schools. Funded by unclaimed capital credits, the grants help teachers improve education in their classrooms through innovative projects that would otherwise not be funded. Georgia certified public or private school teachers in grades Pre-K through 12 in Baldwin, Jones, Putnam, Jasper, Twiggs and Wilkinson counties qualify to apply.
This year, outside judges evaluated the 60 blind applications that were submitted for innovation, goals, objectives, student involvement and budget. Thanks to all teachers who applied in 2021 and we look forward to seeing your applications in 2022.
Click here to see photos of the recipients.
JONES COUNTY
Heather Jackson, Gray Elementary School
Manipulatives Make Math Meaningful, $997.80
This project will motivate students to be excited about learning by allowing them to use manipulatives to learn mathematical concepts.
Morgan Jarvis, Jones County High School
FBLA Official Dress, $1,500
This project will allow students to be fully prepared to compete in FBLA events by supplying students in need the clothing items to meet the requirements of the competition dress code.
Brianna Kelley, Jones County Pre-K
Therapy Room, $1,172.30
This grant will allow for a therapy room to better serve unique motor and sensory needs of the special needs population at the school.
Rusty Owens, Dames Ferry Elementary School
Escaping Reality, $1,278.95
The goal of this project is to let students explore places outside the classroom using virtual reality.
Christin White, Dames Ferry Elementary School
Help Us Bee Sustainable, $1,497.64
Funds from this grant will allow students to further study the Bee Colony Collapse Disorder at the school’s bee colony with the purchase of additional bee jackets, beekeeping cloves and fence panels.
Nancy Ward, Mattie Wells Elementary School
Building Our Reading Stamina, $1,500
With this project, students will engage for reading text for longer periods of time using decoder books.
Mystee Wilcox, Jones County High School
Amp Up the Choir!, $1,440
This will increase the amount of technology used in the fine arts department with the purchase of choral mix and a classroom amplifier. This will also allow students the proper way to use microphones when creating music.
Mary Zellner, Clifton Ridge Middle School
Portable Outdoor Classroom, $667.91
Students will increase their self-confidence, moods and attention spans by taking their learning outside with a portable outdoor classroom.
BALDWIN COUNTY
Laura Burch, Baldwin County High School
Flexible Seating, $1,500
Students will be able to concentrate and succeed in an environment with more flexible and comfortable seating. By giving students alternative seating, you allow them to have agency in the room and engage in the material presented in an authentic way.
Julie DuPree, Midway Hills Primary School
Shine a Light On Reading, $487.81
Students will have increased interest in reading with the availableity of the Shine-A-Light Book series. This series explores nonfiction subjects and allows hidden information to be revealed on each page by flashlights.
Tammy Feitkau, John Milledge Academy
STREAM Inside Out, $1,313.92
This project will enhance the Science, Technology, Robotics, Engineering, Art and Math offerings at the school by allowing students to hone their skills both in and outside of the classroom. This project will also give leadership opportunities to older students as they teach these skills to the younger grade levels.
Yi’Shieka Lawrence, Georgia College Early College
Narrative Remix, $629.30
This project will purchase a book series allowing students to learn about literacy through books that explore the retelling of history through various perspectives. The books use flavorful dialects and remixes of classical literature.
Pamela Longino, Baldwin County High School
Reading Between the Spines – Bringing Book Club Back To Life!, $1,500
This project will implement a book club at the high school to expose students to a different variety of genres during the school year. This will allow students to develop an appreciation for reading as they have a safe place to discuss and think critically on each book.
Anna NeSmith, Georgia Military College Prep School
Bulldogs On Air, $1,500
This project will provide the technology necessary for students to create a live broadcast of morning school announcements to be shown across the school.
Sharon Reeves, Oak Hill Middle School
Hydroponics in the Classroom, $1,476.50
This project will allow students to study hydroponics – one of the fastest growing sectors of the agriculture industry. They will also learn topics related to sustainability, farm-to school and how food grows.
Maggie Williamson, Georgia Military College Prep School
Hands-On Reading, $513.58
This project will allow students to use manipulatives to kinesthetically build sounds, ultimately making words. Hands-on reading will allow students to learn reading in a different way and enhance their language skills.
JASPER COUNTY
Suzanne Arena, Jasper County High School
Hands On Math, $1,497.06
Students will design and build their own scales from legos and learn how to solve equations by keeping the scales balanced.
Lisa Bell, Jasper County Primary School
Everybody Plays, $1,500
This project will allow special needs students to safely play outside in a fenced-in area, complete with swings, picnic tables, planter boxes and sensory bins for hands-on learning.
Dawn Corrigan, Jasper County Primary School
Good Morning Kindergarten, $816.42
This project will allow students to change from their pencil and paper work when they arrive in the morning to interactive, hands-on activities with a variety of morning play tubs.
Stephanie Hays, Jasper County Primary School
Reaching All Readers, $1,500
This project will allow students to read on their grade level by purchasing books for the classroom library to accommodate all student reading levels.
PUTNAM COUNTY
Jan Bloodworth, Putnam County Middle School
Outdoor Classroom, $1,382.36
This project will create a new, outdoor space for students to learn, both individually and in groups.
Ivy Carnes, Putnam County Primary School
The More You Read, The More You Know, $1,404
This project will build the classroom library with several books on different levels to accommodate students with all reading skills.
Jasmine Gray, Putnam County Middle School
Education Breakout, $417
Students will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on breakout activities with lock boxes, different types of locks, and standards based breakout activities.
Eileen Mays, Putnam County Elementary School
Ready to Read, $975.45
This project will build a classroom library with additional graphic novels and well-known, favorite children’s series.
Farrer Peeler, Putnam County Middle School
The Pride of Publishing, $916.98
Students will create a classroom anthology of their writings in a bound book.
Yvette Staton, Putnam County Elementary School
Math Playground, $615.02
This project will allow students to take their math lessons to the playground by creating painted math activities including multiples hopscotch, quadrilateral kickball a coordinate grid and more.