Proud parents like to brag!

Erin alluded to this in the Turner family post Frantic Fall Fun, but you all know how parents like to brag about their children.  Well, this is the picture and story that ran in the "Bryan County Now" newspaper. This isn't actually the entire article - just the most important part! Congratulations Erin!!

From Bryan County Now

Coastal Electric Cooperative and its Foundation awarded thirteen Bright Ideas grants totaling over $6,500 to teachers in Bryan Schools last week. The winners were greeted in their classrooms with a surprise visit from the Bright Ideas Prize Team who came with balloons, a presentation check and gifts.

Earlier this year teachers were invited to apply online through the Coastal Electric Cooperative website to compete to win grants of up to $2,000 each. The Bright Ideas program encourages teachers to develop creative, innovative programs that might not otherwise be funded thru the school system. A panel of independent judges reviews and scores the applications.

Since the program’s inception in 2002 more than $140,000 has been awarded to local teachers. The grants give teachers the power to put their creative teaching ideas into action. Applications are accepted from teachers instructing students in grades K-12.

Bright Ideas is made possible in part thru the voluntary donations of the Cooperative’s members who participate in Operation Round Up® — members allow their electric bills to be rounded up to the nearest whole dollar. Those nickels and dimes each month are turned over to The Coastal Electric Cooperative Foundation which oversees the fund. The Foundation uses the money to assist with food, health, shelter, safety, and educational needs within the community.

Richmond Hill High School

• Erin Turner, Freeing Imaginations with Film Technology, $1,700

This grant will help purchase video technology to enable students to produce high quality, professional-looking videos for school related groups. Previous grant funds have helped students create short films and videos for the SACS study, the ninth grade freshman orientation, the Matthew Freeman Project, Veteran’s Day celebrations, Teacher Appreciation Week, National Education Week and the annual Media Festival. Every semester the student body is amazed by how the youthful mind can produce original and engaging video content with the proper technology. Given the same guidelines, no two students ever create the same project. Their ingenuity is evident in their organization, their camera angles, their photography and their resourcefulness.