TVA stem grants given to west Tennessee schools – WBBJ TV

JACKSON, Tenn. — The Tennessee Valley Authority is inspiring our state’s youth through a series of education grants.

Every year in partnership with Bicentennial Volunteers Incorporated and the Tennessee Valley Authority, teachers across a seven state region are encouraged to apply for grants for their stem programs.

“They provide information on their program, what they are seeking the money for, and they just provide an overview of what they are seeking,” said Adam May, TVA spokesperson.

From there, TVA then reviews the applications. This year alone they received 700 applications. A record 1.5 million dollars in grants will be awarded to 340 school across the region.

“The grants are up to 5 thousand dollars and they’re awarded in a competitive process and preference was given to grant applications that explore TVA’s primary areas of focus which are environment, energy, economic development, and problem solving,” explained May.

According May, the utility provider believes that investing in our state’s youth will benefit everyone by instilling good skills in key subjects such as science, technology, engineering, and math.

“Because we know that our young people today will be the ones that grow up and build and design the energy systems of the future and that’s what’s so important to us,” said May.

TVA is granting scholarships to around 25 schools in west Tennessee. We spoke with Jenifer Burkhead, a kindergarten teacher at Denmark elementary who told us what they plan to do with their stem grant.

“With the stem funds from TVA, we plan to implement stem creation stations and during this time the students will work with a partner and to complete a station task,” explained Burkhead.

Burkhead says these stations will include a variety of building opportunities where kindergarteners can increase their hand-eye coordination, create colorful designs and patterns, explore colors and shapes, and sharpen their problem solving skills.

Other schools that are receiving grants in Madison county are North Side high school, Rose Hill school, and East elementary.