Three Lexington School District Two educators have been awarded Bright Ideas grants from Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative for innovative school projects.

Kimberly Hardin, a science teacher at Brookland-Cayce High School, was awarded $1,000 for her project, “How Do Dissolved Gases Get in Water?” The grant will purchase dissolved glass probes that will allow students in her AP Environmental Science and Marine Sciences classes to conduct real-time analysis as they investigate water quality and aquatic ecosystems, enhancing hands-on learning and understanding of dissolved gases’ impact on environmental health. She said this advanced technology will help students measure critical environmental variables such as dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, gaining a deeper understanding of their influence on water quality and marine ecosystems.

Collin Richardson, orchestra director at Airport High School, was awarded $1,000 for his proposed project, “Expanding the Music Library for High School Orchestra.” He plans to acquire diverse scores of unique and contemporary compositions to enrich students’ learning experiences, enhance performance repertoire and foster a deeper appreciation for various music genres and styles. He said the expanded library will improve his musicians’ technical abilities and confidence in performance.

Caitlin White, theater teacher at Airport High School, was awarded $750 for her project, “Giant Steps: Creating Giant Puppets with STEAM.” The grant will fund equipment and materials that will allow her students to design, plan, and construct giant parade-style puppets for current and future theatrical performances. She said her goals are for 10th-12th grade students in her Musical Theatre class to collaborate on a puppet that will be used in the inaugural district-wide  production of “Frozen Jr.”, and to allow her Theatre III and Theatre IV students the opportunity to work in teams to conceptualize and create giant puppets of their choosing, as well as write original theatre pieces featuring the puppets to perform for the community.

Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative awarded just over $19,000 in grants this year to teachers in areas that they serve to support local educators and their students in innovative project work. The Lexington Two educators were honored with other winners at an October 25 luncheon.

Brookland-Cayce science teacher Kimberly Hardin, center, was surprised with news of the grant by Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative’s Erin Hedgecock, along with Principal Dr. Vance Jones.

Airport High School teachers Collin Richardson and Caitlin White pose after the October 25 awards luncheon at Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative.