MONROE, Ga. – Most schools and teachers always face a nagging problem – not enough funding to provide the programs and materials they need to enhance instructional programs for their students.
Walton Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) has found a way to help with its School EmPOWERment Grant program. The cooperative just delivered checks totaling $290,065 to public and private schools all across its 10-county service area.
The money comes from unclaimed refunds. After exhausting all attempts to find the rightful owners, Georgia law allows the money to be used for education and other community improvements.
This year’s grants bring the all-time total awarded to almost $1.7 million.
2020 Walton EMC School EmPOWERment Grants Fast Facts
Total distribution: $290,065
Average grant: $4,329
Number of grants: 67
Schools receiving grants: 53
Total since beginning of program: $1,691,875
Source of money: unclaimed refunds
The grants by county are:
Barrow County
Barrow Arts and Sciences Academy
Cheryl Guy, Building the BASA Mindset – $7,000
Gwinnett County
Jeffrey Dunn, Thermal Energy and Electromagnetic Wave Unit – $1,850
Annistown Elementary
Andrea Varner, LaToya Burse, Full STEAM Ahead Toward Our Innovation Lab! – $5,959
Bay Creek Middle
Doug Doblar, Bringing Math and Science to Life and Together – $8,840
Brookwood High
Stephen Beall, Electric Vehicles – $7,750
Allison Crawford, Shaynna Aponte, Creative Writing
Program – $4,480
Cooper Elementary
Aimee Litt, Community of Readers – $6,000
Five Forks Middle
Andrew Whatley, Collaborative Project-based Learning by 1:1 Chromebooks – $8,200
Grayson Elementary
Heather Abner, PBIS Book Vending Machine – $2,496
Grayson High
Jennifer DaSilva, Portable Lab Stations – $2,578
Harbins Elementary
Keith Connor, Improving Literacy Through PBIS – $4,115
Head Elementary
Shann Griffith, One Million Words and Beyond – $7,000
Pharr Elementary
Shawn Freeman, Microscopes and More – $2,179
R.L. Norton Elementary
Ryan Moore, Building a 1:1 Learning Environment with Chromebooks – $8,600
Rosebud Elementary
Kim Edge, Sensory Room – $5,200
Shiloh Elementary
Thomas Trippany, Eliminating Obstacles – $6,014
Shiloh High
C. Schrader, PBIS Incentives Catalog – $3,000
Starling Elementary
Ikwo Poindexter, Chrissy McFadden, Continued Excellence in Technology Integration – $5,000
Trickum Middle
Veronica Ingram, CHiSL 365, $1,000
Trip Elementary
Jennifer Hicks, Books to Promote Positive Behavior – $4,590
Vanita McGough, Debbie Patrick, Making Education SPECIAL! – $3,200
Morgan County
Morgan County Elementary
Katherine Edwards, Stop Summer Slide! – $1,000
Morgan County High
Alec Johnson, Starry Night at MCHS – $3,060
Benjamin Coody, Tiny Home Project – $5,000
Morgan County Middle
Kathleen Bryant, Advancing Technical Theater Proficiencies – $1,500
Morgan County Primary
Jennifer Haynes, Clean and Clear Eyes – $717
Oconee County
Athens Academy
Sarah Powers, Representation Matters – $5,000
Colham Ferry Elementary
Miriam Shook, Leigh Anne Shore, Book Vending Machine – $4,120
Lynsey Thomas, Lauren Lee, STEM Sensory Paths – $900
Dove Creek Elementary
Brittany Breiner, Building a Book Room for Diverse Readers – $6,500
Malcom Bridge Elementary
Sarah Ackerman, Literacy Footprints Guided Reading – $7,493
Jennifer Quattlebaum, Short Books for Beginning Readers – $2,294
Susan Smith, Amp Up the Eagles! – $1,998
Malcom Bridge Middle
Brandon Walker, School Instructional Greenhouse Update – $6,900
North Oconee High
Clay McElheny, Geared to Engineer – $3,875
Oconee County Elementary
Stephanie Dickens, Got Problems? – $3,057
Heather Watkins, Increasing Student Engagement Through STEM Bins – $1,000
Oconee County High
Bess Carter, Bringing Graphic Design to the Art Room – $7,800
Bradley Sayers, Drone Racing League – $3,000
Oconee County Primary
Beth Page, Jamie Evans, OCPS Poster Color Printer – $3,500
Lori Mauldin, Stephanie Bennewitz, Alana Stanton, Leveled Reading Room Book Expansion – $1,927
Prince Avenue Christian
LaMurl Morris, Chairs for Musicians – $4,000
Rocky Branch Elementary
Jennifer Mitchem, Parent Resource Room – $1,041
Westminster Christian Academy
Jared Clark, iPads – $4,500
Walton County
Atha Road Elementary
Courtney Cuneio, Audiobooks to Improve Reading – $998
Bay Creek Elementary
Will Casada, Uke Can Play Ukulele! – $2,392
Amy Anderson, Engage and Empower for Success – $2,050
Carver Middle
Tally Cown, PBIS Rewards – $5,000
George Walton Academy
Kellie Watts, High School Physics Lab Equipment – $6,080
Janet Bishop, STEM Foundations and Improvements Campaign – $6,731
Harmony Elementary
Katherine Woods, Ashley Rabon, Supporting Readers and Building Leaders – $8,600
Loganville Christian Academy
Sherry Morris, Vex Robot Replacements – $7,000
Loganville Elementary School
Selena Hale, STEM Lab: Let’s Explore! – $7,656
Loganville High School
Kristina Hobbs, Visual Arts Room Update – $5,300
Loganville Middle School
Heather Wills, Inchy the Bookworm Vending Machine and Books – $6,000
Monroe Area High
Sharon Crenshaw, Fine Arts Sound System – $7,552
Monroe Elementary
Zeester Swint, Little Free Library – $3,000
Sharon Elementary
Beth Morgan, Canon Large Format Printer – $3,600
Social Circle Elementary
Christina Lowe Bruce, Elly Bridgham, Picture It: Published Elementary Authors – $750
Kristi Boles, Discovery Education – $2,600
Social Circle Middle
Sandy Briscoe, Shhh…We’re Learning – $900
Walker Park Elementary
Alicia Burford, Eagles SOAR at the Park – $4,500
Walnut Grove Elementary
Kenneth Cline, Great Big Book Giveaway – $3,000
Kerri Brooks, Comfort and Joy – $5,000
Walnut Grove High
Chris Wheeler, Lego EV# Robot Kits – $6,599
Kelly Shaw, Agriculture Education Aquaponics System – $6,023
Youth Middle
Raymond Castleberry, YMS Recording Studio – $3,501
Walton EMC is a customer-owned power company that serves accounts over its 10-county service area between Atlanta and Athens, Ga. Its primary focus is providing exceptional service to its 133,000 residential, commercial and industrial customer-owner accounts while also caring for the area’s communities. Learn more at waltonemc.com.
# # #