HELPING TO increase student in- terest in the growing field of Sci- ence, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), Huntland Schools was recently awarded a grant from the Tennessee Val- ley Authority (TVA), in partnership with Bicentennial Volunteers, Inc. (BVI), a TVA retiree organization. The grant will help develop STEM projects that are aimed to help spark student interest in future careers in STEM-related fields.
To qualify, teachers across TVA’s seven-state region applied for funding of up to $5,000 for projects, and 233 applications were selected.
According to the program’s specifi- cations, schools that are awarded grants must receive their power from a local power company served by TVA. Hunt- land’s schools are served by the Duck River Electric Membership Corporation.
Funds from the grant will be used throughout the Huntland Schools. Huntland High School Career Technical Education (CTE) STEM Instructor, Kim Collins, is one of the school’s teachers that will benefit from the grant. She stated that she will use funds to of- fer her students the opportunity to par- ticipate in hydroponics.
Collins wrote the grant and will be using the funds to offset the purchase of some of the vegetables served in their caf- eteria, by growing their own vegetables they have started in the hydroponics units.
TVA stated that they hope these types of grants benefit students in the classroom and into a bright future with STEM.
“TVA is committed to supporting STEM education to help develop today’s students into tomorrow’s engineers, sci- entists and IT professionals,” said Jean- netteMills,TVAexecutivevicepresident 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 award- ed nearly $2 million in STEM grants to support local education.
For more information on the STEM grant and to view a list of its recipients, visit online at www.tvastem.com. -GN