The Tennessee Valley Authority, in partnership with EPB and Bicentennial Volunteers, Inc. (a TVA retiree organization), awarded a total of $57,000 in STEM grants to 13 schools in EPB’s service area. These schools are among the 343 schools across TVA’s service area to receive a record $1.5 million this year in grants to develop science, technology, engineering and math education projects to help spark student interest in future careers in STEM-related fields.
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.
Schools in EPB’s service area selected for the program include:
• Battle Academy: Cooking Up Learning
• Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy: Solving Real-World STEM Problems Through Workplace Mentoring
• Chattanooga Preparatory School: Reducing Carbon Emissions Through Hands-on Project-based Learning
• Chattanooga Valley Middle School: Upgrade to Uplift: Empowering students for a STEM-Driven Future through Robotics
• Fairyland Elementary: Bringing Tech to Fairyland STEM
• Harrison Elementary: Old School Tech for New School Tools
• The Howard School: MeLab Specialist
• Loftis Middle School: MASSive Chunkin'
• Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School: OLPH Worm Garden at Nature's Place Classroom
• Sale Creek Middle High School: Sale Creek Green House Phase 2
• Silverdale Baptist Academy: Students are MAD to Learn: Enhancing STEM Education with MAD Learn
• Soddy Daisy High School: Technology Career Exploration - To Infinity and Beyond!
• Thrasher Elementary: Plant-tastic Adventures - The Tower Garden Tales
“TVA is committed to supporting schools and educators who are inspiring an interest in STEM education in students across the Valley, as we know our young people will design and build the energy systems of the future,” said Jeannette Mills, TVA executive vice president and chief external relations officer. “Providing resources and access to STEM education is key to inspiring innovation and we’re proud to contribute to the next generation’s visionaries.”
Since 2018, TVA and BVI have awarded nearly $6 million in STEM grants supporting more than 600,000 students.
“Our mission at EPB is to enhance the quality of life for our community. TVA’s STEM grants complement the hard work of EPB and our many partners in programs like ArtSpark, Future Ready Institutes, HCS EdConnect and more, to prepare students with the skills needed for their future,” said EPB Director of Residential Energy and Environmental Solutions Elizabeth Hammitt. “TVA STEM grants give students the technical experience and teamwork skills necessary to implement their projects successfully at school and in the real world.”
The competitive TVA 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 tva.com/stem.