Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation has presented Watauga County Schools with a check for $10,000, completing a $25,000 pledge made in 2010 to help fund instructional technology in the schools. 

The pledge was made by BREMCO as the school system began formal implementation of the Global Learning Community, the school system’s plan for integrating enriched curriculum resources, professional development for teachers and advanced instructional technology to provide more engaging and more flexible instruction for students.

“We are very grateful for BREMCO’s generous support of our schools,” said Superintendent David Kafitz. “They have made important contributions to our schools both financially and with the time of their employees, and this substantial donation for instructional technology is an especially valuable investment for our students. Partnerships with businesses, parents and other education advocates are a key factor in the success of our schools and they are a strong foundation for our continued progress.”

BREMCO has won recognition from the Watauga Board of Education on several occasions for its contributions to the Watauga County Schools. It was honored with a Global Learning Leadership Award in 2010 at the time of its pledge to the Global Learning Community, and it has been presented with Education Partnership Awards on multiple occasions. 

The Board of Education most recently recognized BREMCO in August for its donated services (in cooperation with New River Light and Power) to remove a large oak tree that had become a potential safety hazard at Green Valley School.

BREMCO’s $25,000 in donations for the Global Learning Community have helped fund the purchase and installation of interactive whiteboards and projectors in classrooms, wireless connections in schools and the purchase of laptop computers for students and teachers at Watauga High School.

BREMCO also supports local educators through its annual Bright Ideas grants to teachers for innovative learning projects, a program that awarded grants to four WCS teachers in the current school year.