Exciting news! Bright Start participants and their PreK colleagues can now get updates and share ideas at the Bright Start Facebook page! Click here!
Bright Start Right Start

BRIGHT START RIGHT START® is an intensive program developed to help early childhood educators implement engaging learning experiences in which young learners explore science in their world. Created in 2004 during a collaborative partnership between American Electric Power and TLC, over 200 early childhood educators have now attended the Bright Start Right Start course. This multi-day summer program provides hands-on experiences and activities that early childhood educators can use in their classroom to fuel a child’s fascination and wonder, and help develop a foundation for later success in K-12 science learning.
Participants who attend this program will:
The AEP Foundation awarded TLC funding to expand the Bright Start opportunity to additional AEP Service Territories. Information about each site can be found below.
From our AEP Partners:
“The Teaching & Learning Collaborative is most appropriately named. From concept through development and implementation of the Bright Start Right Start program, the staff of TLC were truly collaborative at every step. TLC staff listened to our vision and our ideas for a workshop focusing on science learning for early childhood educators, then brought their expertise in teaching and learning to the research, design, and execution of a professional development program that has drawn rave reviews from participants. AEP has partnered with the Teaching & Learning Collaborative on a variety of projects over the years, and we are always confident in their ability to bring the highest quality work to every job.”
~Mary K. Walsh, AEP Community Relations Manager and Barry Schumann, Community and Education Initiatives Coordinator
Participants who attend this program will:
- experience and discuss hands-on physical science activities involving magnetism, electricity, electrical safety, forces and motion, gravity, temperature, and kitchen science;
- discuss science instruction strategies that research indicates are best suited to early learners;
- increase confidence in leading science learning activities;
- and receive instructional kits that contain activities presented during the workshop, a variety of resource books, and materials needed to conduct the experiences back in the classroom.
The AEP Foundation awarded TLC funding to expand the Bright Start opportunity to additional AEP Service Territories. Information about each site can be found below.
From our AEP Partners:
“The Teaching & Learning Collaborative is most appropriately named. From concept through development and implementation of the Bright Start Right Start program, the staff of TLC were truly collaborative at every step. TLC staff listened to our vision and our ideas for a workshop focusing on science learning for early childhood educators, then brought their expertise in teaching and learning to the research, design, and execution of a professional development program that has drawn rave reviews from participants. AEP has partnered with the Teaching & Learning Collaborative on a variety of projects over the years, and we are always confident in their ability to bring the highest quality work to every job.”
~Mary K. Walsh, AEP Community Relations Manager and Barry Schumann, Community and Education Initiatives Coordinator
Virtual Resources
We have been adding virtual resources for Bright Start Right Start participants to use with students. If you are an educator, you can create a FREE Seesaw account by clicking here.
Once you have an account, you can access the resource below (click on the links) and use them with your young scientists!
Activity 1: Magnetism Search for Treasure (Seesaw)
Activity 2: Forces & Motion Buckle Up (Seesaw)
Activity 5: Environment Growing Plants (Seesaw)
Once you have an account, you can access the resource below (click on the links) and use them with your young scientists!
Activity 1: Magnetism Search for Treasure (Seesaw)
Activity 2: Forces & Motion Buckle Up (Seesaw)
Activity 5: Environment Growing Plants (Seesaw)