As the old saying goes, “the early bird gets the worm.” Be one of the “early bird” K–12 teachers who submit their Bright Ideas Education Grant application by Aug. 16 for a chance to win one of five $100 gift cards in a statewide drawing.

The final deadline to apply for a Bright Ideas grant of up to $2,000 from Union Power is Sept. 17.

The Bright Ideas Education Grant program, offered by Union Power and North Carolina’s 26 electric cooperatives, advances excellence in education and accelerates student learning by providing funds for innovative projects. Since the program began in 1994, educators statewide have received more than $13.6 million in Bright Ideas grant funding for nearly 13,000 projects benefiting 2.7 million North Carolina students.