Schools throughout Walton EMC’s 10-county service area have received more than $1 million through the co-op’s School EmPOWERment Grant program.
The latest round of awards, presented in early December, saw 60 schools receive 85 grants worth $372,193.
Money for the grants come from unclaimed capital credit refunds. Capital credits represent the money remaining after Walton EMC pays its operational bills. That money is returned to customer-owners.
Some of those refunds go to former customer-owners who move off the cooperative’s electric grid. Those with an incorrect forwarding address are returned. After all attempts are exhausted to find the owners, Georgia law allows for the money to be used for community development projects.
Here is a list of this year's grants by county:
View and download grant presentation photos here.
Barrow County
Sims Academy of Innovation and Technology – $3,010
Michelle Beck, Automotive Students Education
Gwinnett County
Anderson-Livesay Elementary – $6,579
Jessica Askew, Science Lab Technology Enrichment
Brookwood Elementary – $2,866
Karen Mitchell, Empowering Entrepreneurs
Centerville Elementary – $4,700
Thomas Simerson, Technology for Math Tech Specials
Craig Elementary – $5,740
Chris Locke, STEPS
Five Forks Middle – $4,600
Andrew Whatley, Collaborative, Project-based Learning
Grayson Elementary – $5,500
Sara Forrester, Kristen Davis, Total Tech Takeover
Grayson High – $3,298
Jennifer DaSilva, Visual Waves
Grayson Technical – $1,187
Heather Kishun, Tech Corner Store
R.D. Head Elementary – $4,500
Shann Griffeth, Battle of the Books/Million Word Club
Hopkins Elementary – $4,673
Susan Jackson, Cultivating a Community of Readers
J.C. Magill Elementary – $4,995
Pamela Wynter, Tools for Transformation
McConnell Middle – $7,415
April Turner, Gaye Walk, Tigers ROAR Across the Country
Mountain Park Elementary – $7,500
Heather Bridges, Keeping the Momentum Going
Partee Elementary – $3,500
DeAnna Espinoza, Partee Film and Editing Studio
Pharr Elementary – $5,604
Pam Freeman, Imagine Learning
Kathleen Navin, Engaging Students Through Technology
Rosebud Elementary – $10,600
Amanda Martin, Building a Classroom Library
Amanda Fletcher, Touch Technology for K
Shiloh Elementary – $6,628
Thomas Trippany, Angela Banks-Spain, SMART Approach to Special Education
Thomas Trippany, Angela Banks-Spain, Literacy in the Classroom
Shiloh High – $5,250
Al Ragin, Well Equipped
Shiloh Middle – $4,177
Tereka Williams, Angela Banks-Spain, Our Unsung Heroes, Making an Impact
Tereka Williams, Angela Banks-Spain, Reaching for Excellence Through Literacy
Starling Elementary – $9,347
Ikwo Poindexter, Technology for Teaching and Learning
Ikwo Poindexter, Leveled Literacy Intervention
Trickum Middle – $7,091
Jeff Schaefer, TMS Guitar
Jennifer Killian, Root Robots
Trip Elementary – $9,305
Robin Brainard, Microscopes are Cool
Jennifer Hicks, More Swings Please!
Morgan County
Morgan County Elementary – $8,019
Karen Spence, Student STEAM Solutions
Lara Still, Making the Most of Every Space
Morgan County High – $7,000
Kaitlyn Marchant, Learning with Livestock
Morgan County Middle – $4,111
Cheryl Efird, Lindsay Peaster, Operation Graduation Classroom
Morgan County Primary – $4,481
Jennifer O'Neal, Building Through Power
Oconee County
Athens Academy – $4,378
Betsy Lilliston, From Pinhole Cameras to Photoshop
Colham Ferry Elementary – $5,700
Miriam Shook, One School, One Book
Lynsey Thomas, Awesome with Osmo
Dove Creek Elementary – $20,000
Shelby Hilley, Launching STEM
High Shoals Elementary – $2,500
Charley Clinkenbeard, Project Empty Bowls
Malcom Bridge Elementary – $7,648
Lee Rogers, Take Me on an Expedition
Cindy Rose, Outdoor Teaching and Sustainability Lab
Malcom Bridge Middle – $4,232
Wendy Harrison, Be Great, Communicate!
North Oconee High School – $3,294
Dedra Cooper, AP Environmental Science Capstone Projects
Clay McElheny, Calculating the Stars
Oconee County Elementary – $5,591
Ard, Dickens, Embry, Newman, Stansell, Thornton, Wiggins, Enriching Literary Experiences
Oconee County High – $6,315
Brent Leitsch, Vernier Probeware
Oconee County Middle – $4,702
Candace Scoggins, Drone Project
Oconee County Primary – $5,095
Charlotte Chromiak, Sound Garden
Maria Koch, Jennifer Miller, Once Upon a Classroom: Fix My Fairy Tale
Prince Avenue Christian – $1,791
Kendall Eley, Anatomical Teaching Torsos
Rocky Branch Elementary – $3,426
Callie Dailey, Promoting a Culture of Disability Acceptance
Westminster Christian – $5,500
Jared Clark, Lower School iPads
Walton County
 |
Students and teachers increasingly depend on technology for instruction. Walton EMC Director Billy Ray Allen, left, presents a School EmPOWERment grant to Sharon Elementary for more Chromebook computers. Also shown are Youth and Community Representative Jennifer Broun, Sharon Elementary Media Specialist Barbara Fuller, Principal Freda Doster, Assistant Principal Angel Stanley and Walton EMC Sr. VP of Finance Marsha Shumate. |
Atha Road Elementary – $7,751
Haley Wilcox, Increasing Literacy at Home
Heather Richardson, Healthy Active Students
Bay Creek Elementary – $5,380
Jill Schmidt, Zoo-Phonics for BCES ELLs
Jacquelyn Harlan, KinderChrome Learning Lab
Carver Middle – $5,000
Timothy Mock, Instrument Storage Cabinets
George Walton Academy – $4,739
Jeanie Beach, Science Department Upgrades
Harmony Elementary – $20,500
Barbara Griffeth, “Good Hope” for Shade at HES
Loganville Elementary – $7,773
Camie McGaughey, One on One Chromebook Grades 3-5
Camie McGaughey, Outdoor PE Playground Equipment
Loganville High – $1,505
Andrea Hobbs, A Day in the Life at LHS
Loganville Middle – $13,000
Ansley Autry, PBIS Spark Store
Justin Youngblood, Loganville Livestock Store
Monroe Area High – $6,000
Ivy Corder, Dwayne Wiggins, MAHS Career Center
Jamie Nichols, MAHS PBIS Rewards Store
Sharon Elementary – $7,665
Freda Doster, Chromebook Initiative
Social Circle Elementary – $350
Christina Love, Inspiring the Writer and Reader in Me
Social Circle High – $3,970
Audra Thomas, Coding and Programming
Lisa Wolaver, PBIS Redskin Electives
Social Circle Middle – $5,163
Rhonda McFarland, Engineering and Design 3D Maker Tools
Lottie Aziamadi, Classroom Libraries
Social Circle Primary – $6,100
Ashley Underwood, Osmo
Geneva Bugg, Character Education in the Circle
Walker Park Elementary – $15,000
Brian Hobbs, 2nd and 3rd Grade Libraries
Walnut Grove Elementary – $9,500
Haley Herrick, Improving Literacy Through the Library
Jessica Harris, Ken Cline, Increasing Positive Student Behaviors
Walnut Grove High – $7,399
Polly Holder, Around the World in 80 Minutes
Chris Wheeler, Getting Science on the Right Track
Youth Elementary – $6,495
Katie Braselton, Chromebooks and Carts
Youth Middle – $7,151
Ashlee Shephard, Laura Clayton, Robotics Club
Danielle McNish, Inspiring YMS Artists