Palmetto Electric hands out classroom grants to area teachers

Twenty-two teachers in southern Beaufort County on Wednesday received checks to fund innovative classroom projects from Palmetto Electric Cooperative and Palmetto Electric Trust.

The cooperative will award $29,010 this week to teachers in the utility's service areas in Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton counties through the sixth annual Bright Ideas grant program.

Teachers across the service area submitted 84 requests this year, and 43 grants were awarded.

Beaufort County winners are:

• Valecia Whitfield, "Using Wii in the Classroom," Okatie Elementary School.

• Beth Felder, "Math Matters," Cross School.

• Mary Swofford, "Adventures Through Reading," Bluffton Elementary School.

• Kimberly Young, "Books for Blooming Readers," Bluffton Elementary.

• Colleen Langley, "Children's Community Theater Production" May River Montessori School.

• Paula Ilami, "Cycle of Life Community Garden Learning Project," May River Montessori.

• Michelle Morrison-Crum, "A Library of my own -- at School and at Home," Red Cedar Elementary School.

• Jodi Nason, "How about What I Want? Literacy Learning chosen by the child," Red Cedar Elementary.

• Peg Hamilton, "The Standing O," Hilton Head Preparatory School.

• Angela Taylor, "Power UP," Hilton Head Prep.

• John Hutcheson, "Getting A Head in Class," Sea Pines Montessori Academy .

• Matthew Pheiffer, "21st Century Cartography," Hilton Head Island High School.

• Deanna Flores, "AVID Achievers: Achieving by Reaching Out," Hilton Head High.

• Amy Dungan, "Hear Ye, Hear Ye" Hilton Head Island Middle School.

• Tennille Kasper, "Kindling Literacy," Hilton Head Island School for the Creative Arts.

• Melinda Smith, "Building Bridges in Music," Hilton Head Island School for the Creative Arts.

• Kelly Bausher, "FLIP: Fifth Graders Learn Through Initiative Portfolios," Hilton Head Island International Baccalaureate Elementary School.

• Karen Osborne, "We've Got the Beat!," Hilton Head Island International Baccalaureate Elementary.

• Karen Perdue, "Morning News Video Production," Hilton Head Island International Baccalaureate Elementary.

• Vivian Johnson, "Got Science!," Hilton Head Island International Baccalaureate Elementary.

• Treva Kent, "Bowls for Bucks: A fundraiser for uniforms," Hilton Head Island International Baccalaureate Elementary.

• Frances Ferrene, "Kids First Response Team," Hilton Head Island International Baccalaureate Elementary.