William Helms: “it is an exciting development that the electrical cooperatives in North Carolina are improving public education and the…”

“it is an exciting development that the electrical cooperatives in North Carolina are improving public education and the quality of classroom instruction without spending a dime of the taxpayer's money. Since 1994, the electrical cooperatives in my state have sponsored a grant program for teachers called ``Bright Ideas'', and it has been a roaring success--encouraging creative teaching by awarding grants of up to $2,000 to K-12 teachers in annual competitions. There is no restriction on subject matter to apply; in fact, Mr. President, teachers are not required to teach in a cooperative service area to compete. Teachers need only to show that they are using original, innovative ideas to improve the education of young people. These new teaching methods range from reading and music programs to creative math and science programs; from research involving computers and video technology to career-oriented programs to prepare teenagers for the working world. 2,000 teachers applied to cooperatives for grants this year, and more than 400 classrooms in North Carolina became ``Bright Ideas'' classrooms. Mr. President, North Carolina's electric cooperatives operate in 93 of our 100 counties, providing power to almost a quarter of our state's population. Most members of these cooperatives aren't walking around with deep-pockets. They're hard-working folks in rural areas who recognize the value of a good education.”