Nearly 200 Rowan County students will benefit from Bright Ideas grants awarded by Union Power Cooperative during surprise visits to classrooms in November and December.

Union Power Cooperative granted more than $21,000 this year to area teachers for their “bright ideas.”

The Bright Ideas program, sponsored by North Carolina’s electric cooperatives, strives to improve education in North Carolina classrooms. Grants of as much as $2,000 are awarded to teachers for innovative, classroom-based projects in grades kindergarten through 12 that would not otherwise be funded.

The Rowan County winners are:

• Angela DeMarco of Millbridge Elementary School, who won $1,913 for her project, “Macro Learning Opportunity With Microscopes.”
• Mark Rockwell of Millbridge Elementary, who won $1,926 for his project, “Monster Truck Technology.”

“Through these innovative and creative ideas, students are engaged in learning in the classroom. We are thankful we can help strengthen our communities through programs like Bright Ideas,” said Carrie Stroud, vice president of communications and marketing at Union Power.

Union Power Cooperative is a member-owned electric cooperative that provides electric service to more than 76,000 members in Union, Stanly, Mecklenburg, Cabarrus and Rowan counties.