Berkeley Electric Cooperative will honor Lowcountry educators by distributing grants to 48 teachers at the third annual Bright Ideas 5K Saturday, May 4, at Cypress Gardens.
The Bright Ideas 5K, presented by Cooperative Building Solutions, is a fundraiser to support the Bright Ideas Education Grant program, which provides up to $1,500 in funding to teachers at K-12 schools that Berkeley Electric serves. The cooperative raised more than $50,000 this year – a new record for the 5K fundraiser.
“The Bright Ideas Education Grant program is an effort to create an even better-educated workforce by inspiring teachers within Berkeley Electric’s service territory to try new ideas as they strive for the most effective teaching techniques,” said Mike Fuller, president and CEO of Berkeley Electric. “We’re humbled by the support of our 5K sponsors. They are making a direct impact in our classrooms and for our students.”
Winning teachers will be presented with their grant checks during the race’s awards ceremony, which starts at 9 a.m. The awards ceremony for the fastest runners will immediately follow.
More than 400 participants are registered for the Bright Ideas 5K, which starts at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 4. This year’s race features a newly USATF-certified course that winds through a variety of terrain, including trails, gardens and, of course, swamp. It was designed this past year by Berkeley Electric’s GIS department.
This year’s run/walk also features a special Star Wars theme in honor of the race being on National Star Wars Day.
The custom-designed race T-shirt features Darth Gator, while the custom-designed finisher’s medal showcases Luke Skywalker’s iconic X-wing fighter. Participants are encouraged to dress up as their favorite character from the famed series. The best costumes will receive a prize.
Participants are asked to carpool and arrive early, as parking is limited at Cypress Gardens. A remote parking lot and shuttle service have been set up at Celanese (formerly DuPont). The event is rain or shine.
The gate to Cypress Gardens closes to race traffic at 7:45 a.m., as White Hall Plantation Road is part of the 5K course. The park opens to the public at 9 a.m., and the race fee includes entry to the park for the day.
In addition to a record-high fundraising effort for the 5K, the Bright Ideas Education Grant program had a record number of applicants.
“We love recognizing our grant winners at the 5K,” said Dana Jenkins, BEC public relations specialist who leads school outreach for the cooperative. “It gives the race participants and the race sponsors a chance to see why we’re there – to celebrate our best teachers and their brightest ideas,”
Jenkins thanked the team of volunteers who helped support both the 5K and the grant program. Departments from across the co-op shared their time and talent to help plan, fundraise, evaluate the grant applications and make this outreach possible.
“Thank you to each volunteer for your incredible effort and hard work in helping to make the Bright Ideas 5K a success once again,” she said. “We could not do it without your commitment.”
For more information, including a list of this year’s grant winners and map of the course, visit berkeley electric.coop/bright-ideas-5k.
