The Tennessee Valley Authority, in partnership with EPB and Bicentennial Volunteers, Inc. (a TVA retiree organization), awarded $60,000 in STEM grants to 15 schools in EPB’s service area. These schools are among the 238 schools across TVA’s service area to receive $1 million in grants to develop science, technology, engineering, and math education projects to help spark student interest in future careers in STEM-related fields. The program will support 136,000 students with hands-on STEM activities.
Grants of up to $5,000 were awarded in a competitive process, with preferences given to applications that explored TVA’s primary areas of focus: environment, energy, economic development, and community problem-solving. Any school that receives power from a local power company served by TVA was eligible to apply.
Normal Park Middle Museum Magnet used funding in partnership with green|spaces to supply their “Sustainable City” project which allows students to use their knowledge of geometry, renewable energy, and biodiversity to create a model building using sustainable practices.
“We would not have been able to take this project to such a great depth without this funding from TVA,” said Matty Hardy, 6th grade science teacher at Normal Park Middle Museum Magnet. “Hands-on opportunities like these allow students to explore STEAM topics and develop skills with real-world applications from an early age, inspiring them to be innovative leaders of the future.”
Schools in EPB’s service area selected for the program include:
- Battle Academy
- Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences
- East Hamilton Middle School
- East Ridge Elementary School
- Ivy Academy Chattanooga
- Normal Park Middle Museum Magnet
- Notre Dame High School
- Red Bank High School
- Red Bank Middle School
- Sale Creek Middle/High School
- St. Nicholas School
- STEM School Chattanooga
- Thrasher Elementary School
- Tyner Academy
- Wauhatchie School
“TVA is committed to supporting STEM education to help develop today’s students into tomorrow’s engineers, scientists and IT professionals,” said Jeannette Mills, TVA executive vice president and chief external relations officer. “It’s inspiring to be able to contribute to the innovators of the next generation.”
Since 2018, TVA and BVI have awarded nearly $5 million in STEM grants to support local education.
“EPB believes hands-on, interactive STEM projects allow our future leaders to explore future career possibilities and expand their knowledge to prepare them to enter the workforce,” said Elizabeth Hammitt, EPB director of residential energy and environmental solutions. “The schools in EPB’s service area that received TVA STEM grant will be able to further develop and support these opportunities for their students.”
The competitive STEM classroom grant program is operated in partnership with the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network managed by the Battelle organization. A full list of grant recipients, and information on how to apply for a future STEM grant can be found at www.tvastem.com.
