Three Oak Ridge schools\u2014Glenwood Elementary, Jefferson Middle, and Robertsville Middle schools received recent announcements of grant awards for future projects involving science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).<\/p>\n
Glenwood Elementary School received a grant for $5000 to fund a project titled, \u201cEngineering a Brighter Future,\u201d a hands-on initiative to engage students in STEM-based learning focused on careers of the future. This competitive grant came from a program sponsored by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) providing teachers an opportunity to apply for funding up to $5,000. Preference was given to grant applications that explored TVA\u2019s primary areas of focus: environment, energy, economic and career development, and community problem solving.<\/p>\n
TVA Community Engagement Senior Program Manager Rachel Crickmar stated, \u201cThere is a demand in the Valley for workforce development through STEM education and I am proud of the way TVA and our retirees are responding to that demand.\u201d Across the valley, educators submitted projects large and small, to further STEM education initiatives in the classroom. \u201cThe projects were all across the STEM spectrum,\u201d said Crickmar. \u201cWe had requests for traditional things like science lab and robotics equipment, but we also had projects where students are challenged with designing energy efficient housing and building prototypes of inventions created to assist senior citizens in their communities. We had a great cross-section of applications that were very representative of life in the Valley.\u201d<\/p>\n