Teachers who have bright ideas to spark their students' interest in science, technology, engineering and math are invited to apply to receive one of 25 grants through the PPL Empowering Educators program.

The grants are open to K-12 teachers in school districts in the 29 Pennsylvania counties served by PPL.The $1,000 grants can be used for educational projects, such as science fairs, energy conservation projects, renewable energy demonstrations, and math competitions.Some of the projects that received funding last year ranged from building solar-powered cars to developing a school makerspace, a collaborative work space where students can explore and share innovative ideas.To apply, teachers must submit a contest application online at pplempoweringeducators.com before Sept. 30. Each team will be judged on its project proposal, its school need, and potential overall impact.Recipients will be notified via email by Nov. 1. Each project must be completed by May 1, 2018. A final report must be submitted online by May 8, 2018. And the teams will celebrate their completed projects during a regional reception in June 2018.Visit the website to learn more and watch two of these projects come to life and make a lasting impact on the students.