Morehead City Elementary School at Camp Glenn is proud to announce that three exciting projects have been funded through the Bright Ideas Education Grants provided by the Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative for a total of $2,550 to support innovative classroom projects that inspire learning and creativity for our students.
Our 2026 funded projects include:
"Growing Our Minds While Getting Our Hands Dirty" - $1,250 Science initiative
"The Camp Glenn Caldecott Challenge" - $500 Reading and Art initiative
"Keys to Success" - $800 Music initiative
Learn more about our classroom projects below!
"Growing Our Minds While Getting Our Hands Dirty" - Mrs. Susan Merrell, 5th Grade
Through the “Growing Our Minds While Getting Our Hands Dirty” project, we will be able to purchase six raised garden beds along with essential tools and supplies to bring hands-on learning to life. Students will roll up their sleeves and experience the excitement of planting and caring for gardens filled with flowers and vegetables.
This project will help students explore ecosystems in action, learning about pollinators, decomposers, and the natural cycles that sustain life. It will also teach them where our food comes from and how environmental stewardship plays an important role in our everyday lives.
Beyond science, our school gardens will encourage teamwork, responsibility, and problem-solving as students work together to nurture their plants and observe the results of their efforts. This outdoor learning experience will inspire curiosity, strengthen real-world connections, and help students appreciate the beauty and balance of nature.
"The Camp Glenn Caldecott Challenge" - Mrs. Kelly Riley, 4th Grade
At Morehead City Elementary School at Camp Glenn, our educators, administrators, staff, and parents are united in a shared mission: to bring reading to the hearts and minds of every student. We believe that literature builds bridges—connecting us to new ideas, diverse cultures, and one another. Through this grant-funded project, we are launching a school-wide celebration of storytelling and art, designed to foster a lifelong love of reading and strengthen our community of confident, curious, and critical thinkers.
The Camp Glenn Caldecott Challenge is a collaborative literacy initiative for our 4th and 5th-grade students, centered around books nominated for the prestigious Caldecott Medal, which honors the most distinguished American picture book for children. This project beautifully blends literacy and the visual arts, giving students a rich, multidisciplinary experience that celebrates both the written word and artistic expression.
Throughout the challenge, students will read, discuss, and evaluate the Caldecott-nominated books, guided by classroom teachers, our school librarian, and our visual arts teacher, with special guest readings from administrators. As students engage with these stories, they’ll build critical thinking skills, expand their vocabulary, and deepen their appreciation for both art and literature.
The highlight of the project will be when students vote for their own Caldecott winner during classroom, grade-level, and school-wide ballots. In January, our entire school will eagerly await the official Caldecott announcement from the American Library Association—celebrating alongside the nation’s readers and artists!
"Keys to Success" - Mr. Christopher Langdon, Music
Through the “Keys to Success” project, we will be able to purchase six to seven full-size keyboards to enrich our music program and give students hands-on experience with piano playing. These instruments will be used during weekly music classes and in our morning Music Club, offering students more opportunities to explore their creativity and musical talents.
Learning to play the keyboard helps students develop strong fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and concentration. It also strengthens pattern recognition, memory, and listening skills, all of which support success in other academic areas such as math and reading.
By incorporating keyboards into our music instruction, students will gain a deeper understanding of melody, harmony, and rhythm while building confidence and a lifelong appreciation for music. This project will help our students discover that with practice, patience, and passion—everyone can find their own “key to success.”