TVA Area Representative Carolyn Ward talks with STEM grant recipients about the Tennessee Valley Authority's commitment to creating STEM experiences for students.
Starkville Oktibbeha School District teachers received two TVA STEM Classroom Grants, sponosored by the Tennessee Valley Authority in partnership with Bicentennial Volunteers Incorporated (BVI, a TVA retiree organization). The grant awards were presented to teachers at Greensboro Center in February in conjunction with the district's community Partner in Excellence, Starkville Utilities. Each grant provides $5000 to fund STEM learning projects in classrooms and schools in the TVA service area. The two grants received by SOSD were among 21 given to schools in Mississippi.
Tara Agnew and Tina Cockrell, teachers in the Engineering pathway at Millsaps Career and Technology Center at Starkville High School received a $5000 grant to fund projects designed to spur girls to become more involved in STEM career pathways through the Technology Student Association at SHS. Ms. Agnew shared that there is typically a smaller number of females involved in STEM activities and careers. She and Ms. Cockrell hope to create projects and activities that will encourage girls at Starkville High to believe in themselves and take a risk to try new things through STEM learning.
In addition to the Millsaps grant, Sara Walker, a teacher at Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary received a $5000 grant to fund the purchase of Virtual Reality goggles and the creation of lesson plans and curriculum to incorporate the state-of-the-art technology into opportunities at the HWS Imagination Station. The unique classroom is a "MakerSpace" fostering collaboration, critical thinking and communication through the use of innovative technology and other resources. Ms. Walker shared that the VR goggles can open up unique opportunities for students to explore the world right from the HWS campus. In collaboration with Mississippi State University staff, she plans to implement the use of the goggles along with lessons designed to spark student interests in careers and provide experiences that give a feel for what it's like in the real world.
TVA area representative Carolyn Ward and Starkville Utilities General Manager Edward Kemp joined the award winners at Greensboro to present checks and offer encouragement to teachers to apply for the yearly STEM grants.