A Dawson County school teacher was recently awarded a grant through Sawnee EMC’s Bright Ideas program.

Ann Lott of Black’s Mill Elementary School received a grant through the program, funded by Sawnee’s Operation Round up.

Through the program, Sawnee customers have the option of “rounding-up” their power bills to the nearest whole dollar. The extra pennies are then collected and donated to various charities and the Bright Ideas grant program, which rewards teachers for outstanding and creative classroom ideas.

Since its inception, the Sawnee Foundation has donated more than $824,030 through Operation Round-up.

In late February, the board awarded $17,011 to charities and $6,570 in Bright Ideas grants.

For a complete list of grant recipients and more information, visit www.sawnee.com.