FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Reynolds | November 18, 2025
Flint Energies and its philanthropic arm, the Flint Energies Foundation, awarded a total of $25,439 to 19 teachers for creative and innovative lesson plans in the19th year of the Co-op’s Bright Ideas program.
Winning teachers were surprised by Bright Ideas Prize Brigade representatives from Flint Energies with gift bags filled with classroom supplies and big checks throughout the second week of November. The Bright Ideas program distributes grants of up to $1,500 for teachers to implement creative and innovative lesson plans that directly impact the students in their classrooms. The grants are not available for professional development, field trips or Smart Boards.
This year $25,000 in Bright Ideas grants were given to winning teachers and their team members at schools in Crawford, Houston, Marion, Peach and Schley Counties.
“Through these funds, Flint Energies partners with educators who are fostering fun and creative learning with their students in innovative ways,” says Blair Brown, Youth & Education Specialist.
Earlier this year, the Flint Energies Foundation invited teachers of grades Pre-K through 12 located in the Co-op’s service territory to apply for the grant. Flint Energies’ service area encompasses parts of Bibb, Chattahoochee, Crawford, Dooly, Harris, Houston, Macon, Marion, Monroe, Muscogee, Peach, Schley, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Twiggs and Upson counties. In September, the Cooperative received 160 completed grant applications. A panel of retired and former educators served as judges and reviewed the applications; the top scoring lesson plan ideas were funded.
2025 Bright Ideas grant winners:
Allison Risaliti, Bonaire Middle School, $1,500, Project: Makey Makey Hands-on Coding
Roberta Shiver, Centerville Elementary School, $1,420, Project: Soil Science and Composting Project: Growing Sustainability in Fourth Grade
Kristen O’Neal, Crawford County Elementary & Primary Schools, $850, Project: Soil Investigating Station
James Judson, Feagin Mill Middle School, $1,500, Project: Digging into AI
Makeba Story, Fort Valley Middle School, $1,200, Project: Story Talks
Jessica Story, Hilltop Elementary School, $950, Project: Backpack Buddies for Literacy: Building Families Together
Valeria Drummond, Huntington Middle School, $1,500, Project: Next Gen Creators: Coding, Gaming, and Web Building for the Future
Jasmine Hamlin, Kay Road Elementary School, $1,350, Project: Power Up: The Magnetism and Electricity Innovation Lab
Mary Gomez, Kings Chapel Elementary School, $1,500, Project: Tiny Engineers, Epic Missions
Ryan Parson, Kings Chapel Elementary School, $1,500, Project: 3D Printer/Printing
Sara Zimmerman, Marion County Middle/High School, $750, Project: Learning in Color
Sid Littlefield, Northside High School, $1,500, Project: Art History Makerspace
Carrie Chastain, Peach County High School, $1,500, Project: Transition to Independent Living
Erin Lycett, Peach County High School, $1,500, Project: Hands-on History
Adrian Mahler, Perry High School, $1,500, Project: The Soundtrack of American History
Robin Hall, Schley County Elementary School, $1,419.50, Project: Literacy in Action
Tobias Stripling, Veterans High School, $1,500, Project: Banking on Our Future: A Financial Literacy Lab Experience
Shelby English, Warner Robins High School, $1,500, Project: Stitching the Story: Building Theatre and Life Skills Through Costuming
Chris Stanley, Warner Robins High School, $1,500, Project: Rooted at Robins: Environmental Science
Early Bird Winners:
Shelby Henderson (Hunt Elementary School) and Kelly Minshew (Thomson Middle School) each won a $250 Visa gift card through a random drawing of all entries submitted by September 7.
About Operation Round Up and Flint Energies Foundation
Flint Energies began its Bright Ideas program in 2006 and has awarded more than $325,000 in grant money to teachers for 365 projects teaching more than 10,000 students in Middle Georgia.
The Flint Energies Foundation provides grants to local non-profits such as this one using money donated by Flint Energies Consumer-members through Operation Round Up®. The electric cooperative’s Members contribute $175,000 annually to the Flint Energies Foundation, which supports worthy causes in the 17 counties it serves. Operation Round Up is a way for participating Members to support multiple charitable organizations by simply allowing Flint Energies to round up their bills to the nearest dollar. Donations to Operation Round Up, which average only about $6 per year per member, are tax deductible. About 40% of Flint’s Membership participates in Operation Round Up, but that percentage continues to decline. If you are a Flint Energies Consumer-member and wish to contribute, you can sign up at www.flintenergies.com/ORU or by calling 1.800.342.3616.
The Flint Energies Foundation, a state-chartered, non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization, disburses all contributions to approved projects; Member contributions are not used for administration costs. Foundation Board members include Chair Joanne Hamlin, Lizella; Vice Chair Eloise Doty, Butler; Secretary Connie McCutchen, Midland; Treasurer John Luppino, Warner Robins; Gina Fink, Fort Valley; Charles Harrison, Grovania; Pat Bartness, Warner Robins; Traci Kemp, Warner Robins; Betty Chase, Oglethorpe; Roger Sinyard, Mauk; and Ian Russell, Fort Valley.
About Flint Energies
Flint Energies is a not-for-profit electric cooperative owned by its members in parts of 17 central Georgia counties. Flint employs 220 employees and serves nearly 100,000 electric meters. We are 100% locally controlled and democratically governed by nine Directors elected from among the membership. In 1937, Flint Energies was created to bring people together to meet common needs like reliable electric energy, and our mission remains focused on improving the quality of life in Middle Georgia. Flint Energies is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Follow Flint on X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
Contact:
Blair Brown, Youth & Education Specialist, bbrown@flintemc.com
Marian McLemore, VP, Cooperative Communications, mmclemore@flintemc.com