Record year for LCPS as 65 educators receive Tri-County Bright Ideas Grants, leading the region in awards
Lenoir County Public Schools educators have once again proven that innovation thrives in their classrooms, and this year their bright ideas are shining brighter than ever.
For the 2025-2026 school year, 65 LCPS teachers have been selected to receive Bright Ideas Grants from Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation, earning a combined $51,602.16 to bring creative, hands-on learning projects to life. This marks a new high for LCPS, surpassing last year’s record of 62 winners and $47,685.41 in grant funding.
Tri-County EMC, which serves parts of Duplin, Wayne, and Lenoir counties, received 338 applications for this year’s competition. From those applications, 130 educators were selected to receive funding totaling $102,146.33. LCPS teachers make up exactly half of all winners, continuing the district’s long-running tradition of excellence in the Bright Ideas program.
Superintendent Brent Williams said this success reflects both the ingenuity of LCPS teachers and the supportive culture that encourages them to think creatively for their students.
“This is a tremendous accomplishment and a testament to the innovative spirit of our teachers,” Williams said. “They continually find new ways to make learning engaging and meaningful, and the Bright Ideas program helps turn those ideas into real classroom experiences. We’re deeply grateful to Tri-County EMC for its continued partnership in recognizing and supporting our educators.”
Bright Ideas Grants fund original classroom projects that go beyond standard curriculum, including STEM experiments, literacy initiatives, art, history, and environmental studies. The grants empower teachers to explore creative approaches that make lessons more interactive and impactful.
LCPS’s success in the program is particularly notable given that only nine district schools are eligible to participate because they fall within Tri-County’s service area, compared to 18 schools each in Duplin and Wayne counties. Despite the smaller number of eligible schools, LCPS teachers consistently secure a majority of the awards, underscoring the district’s leadership in instructional innovation.
Over the past decade, LCPS educators have consistently earned significant Bright Ideas funding, supporting hundreds of creative classroom projects across the district. Tri-County EMC recognized all 2025-2026 Bright Ideas recipients and their principals during a floating awards ceremony on Monday, November 3, from 5–7 p.m. at the cooperative’s headquarters.
“Every Bright Ideas project represents a teacher’s belief that students learn best when they can explore, question, and create,” Williams said. “We are incredibly proud of our 65 winners and the impact their ideas will have in classrooms across Lenoir County.”
With another record-breaking year, LCPS teachers continue to light the way for inspired learning and demonstrate that when creativity meets opportunity, great things happen for students.
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