Most schools and teachers always face a nagging problem – not enough funding to provide the programs and materials they need to enhance instructional programs for their students. 

Walton Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) has found a way to help with its School EmPOWERment Grant program. The cooperative just delivered checks totaling $290,065 to public and private schools all across its 10-county service area. 

The money comes from unclaimed refunds. After exhausting all attempts to find the rightful owners, Georgia law allows the money to be used for education and other community improvements.

This year’s grants bring the all-time total awarded to almost $1.7 million.

2020 Walton EMC School EmPOWERment Grants Fast Facts

Total distribution: $290,065

Average grant: $4,329

Number of grants: 67

Schools receiving grants: 53

Total since beginning of program: $1,691,875

Source of money: unclaimed refunds

The grants by county are: 

Barrow County

Barrow Arts and Sciences Academy

Cheryl Guy, Building the BASA Mindset – $7,000 

Gwinnett County 

Alton C. Crews Middle

Jeffrey Dunn, Thermal Energy and Electromagnetic Wave Unit – $1,850

Annistown Elementary

Andrea Varner, LaToya Burse, Full STEAM Ahead Toward Our Innovation Lab! – $5,959

Bay Creek Middle

Doug Doblar, Bringing Math and Science to Life and Together – $8,840

Brookwood High

Stephen Beall, Electric Vehicles – $7,750

Allison Crawford, Shaynna Aponte, Creative Writing Program – $4,480

Cooper Elementary

Aimee Litt, Community of Readers – $6,000

Five Forks Middle

Andrew Whatley, Collaborative Project-based Learning by 1:1 Chromebooks – $8,200

Grayson Elementary

Heather Abner, PBIS Book Vending Machine – $2,496

Grayson High

Jennifer DaSilva, Portable Lab Stations – $2,578

Harbins Elementary

Keith Connor, Improving Literacy Through PBIS – $4,115

Head Elementary

Shann Griffith, One Million Words and Beyond – $7,000

Pharr Elementary

Shawn Freeman, Microscopes and More – $2,179

R.L. Norton Elementary

Ryan Moore, Building a 1:1 Learning Environment with Chromebooks – $8,600

Rosebud Elementary

Kim Edge, Sensory Room – $5,200

Shiloh Elementary

Thomas Trippany, Eliminating Obstacles – $6,014

Shiloh High

C. Schrader, PBIS Incentives Catalog – $3,000

Starling Elementary

Ikwo Poindexter, Chrissy McFadden, Continued Excellence in Technology Integration – $5,000

Trickum Middle

Veronica Ingram, CHiSL 365, $1,000

Trip Elementary

Jennifer Hicks, Books to Promote Positive Behavior – $4,590

Vanita McGough, Debbie Patrick, Making Education SPECIAL! – $3,200 

Morgan County

Morgan County Elementary

Katherine Edwards, Stop Summer Slide! – $1,000

Morgan County High

Alec Johnson, Starry Night at MCHS – $3,060

Benjamin Coody, Tiny Home Project – $5,000

Morgan County Middle

Kathleen Bryant, Advancing Technical Theater Proficiencies – $1,500

Morgan County Primary

Jennifer Haynes, Clean and Clear Eyes – $717

Oconee County

Athens Academy

Sarah Powers, Representation Matters – $5,000

Colham Ferry Elementary

Miriam Shook, Leigh Anne Shore, Book Vending Machine – $4,120

Lynsey Thomas, Lauren Lee, STEM Sensory Paths – $900

Dove Creek Elementary

Brittany Breiner, Building a Book Room for Diverse Readers – $6,500

Malcom Bridge Elementary

Sarah Ackerman, Literacy Footprints Guided Reading – $7,493

Jennifer Quattlebaum, Short Books for Beginning Readers – $2,294

Susan Smith, Amp Up the Eagles! – $1,998

Malcom Bridge Middle

Brandon Walker, School Instructional Greenhouse Update – $6,900

North Oconee High

Clay McElheny, Geared to Engineer – $3,875

Oconee County Elementary

Stephanie Dickens, Got Problems? – $3,057

Heather Watkins, Increasing Student Engagement Through STEM Bins – $1,000

Oconee County High

Bess Carter, Bringing Graphic Design to the Art Room – $7,800

Bradley Sayers, Drone Racing League – $3,000

Oconee County Primary

Beth Page, Jamie Evans, OCPS Poster Color Printer – $3,500

Lori Mauldin, Stephanie Bennewitz, Alana Stanton, Leveled Reading Room Book Expansion – $1,927

Prince Avenue Christian

LaMurl Morris, Chairs for Musicians – $4,000

Rocky Branch Elementary

Jennifer Mitchem, Parent Resource Room – $1,041

Westminster Christian Academy

Jared Clark, iPads – $4,500

Walton County 

Atha Road Elementary

Courtney Cuneio, Audiobooks to Improve Reading – $998

Bay Creek Elementary

Will Casada, Uke Can Play Ukulele! – $2,392

Amy Anderson, Engage and Empower for Success – $2,050

Carver Middle

Tally Cown, PBIS Rewards – $5,000

George Walton Academy

Kellie Watts, High School Physics Lab Equipment – $6,080

Janet Bishop, STEM Foundations and Improvements Campaign – $6,731

Harmony Elementary

Katherine Woods, Ashley Rabon, Supporting Readers and Building Leaders – $8,600

Loganville Christian Academy

Sherry Morris, Vex Robot Replacements – $7,000

Loganville Elementary School

Selena Hale, STEM Lab: Let’s Explore! – $7,656

Loganville High School

Kristina Hobbs, Visual Arts Room Update – $5,300

Loganville Middle School

Heather Wills, Inchy the Bookworm Vending Machine and Books – $6,000

Monroe Area High

Sharon Crenshaw, Fine Arts Sound System – $7,552

Monroe Elementary

Zeester Swint, Little Free Library – $3,000

Sharon Elementary

Beth Morgan, Canon Large Format Printer – $3,600

Social Circle Elementary

Christina Lowe Bruce, Elly Bridgham, Picture It: Published Elementary Authors – $750

Kristi Boles, Discovery Education – $2,600

Social Circle Middle

Sandy Briscoe, Shhh…We’re Learning – $900

Walker Park Elementary

Alicia Burford, Eagles SOAR at the Park – $4,500

Walnut Grove Elementary

Kenneth Cline, Great Big Book Giveaway – $3,000

Kerri Brooks, Comfort and Joy – $5,000

Walnut Grove High

Chris Wheeler, Lego EV# Robot Kits – $6,599

Kelly Shaw, Agriculture Education Aquaponics System – $6,023

Youth Middle

Raymond Castleberry, YMS Recording Studio – $3,501

Walton EMC is a customer-owned power company that serves accounts over its 10-county service area between Atlanta and Athens, Ga. Its primary focus is providing exceptional service to its 133,000 residential, commercial and industrial customer-owner accounts while also caring for the area’s communities. Learn more at waltonemc.com.