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Local schools get $10,000 from TVA
Money used for STEM progarms
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Smithville Elementary Anita Puckett, left, joins Kindergarten teacher Tanya Howard, Rachel Crickmar with TVA and Beth Cantrell with the SES computer lab in the presentation of a $5,000 STEM grant to the school from the TVA. - photo by Duane Sherrill

DeKalb County was the beneficiary of $10,000 in STEM grants from the Tennessee Valley Authority, the ten grand going to Smithville Elementary and DeKalb High.

The presentations of the $5,000 checks were made during separate ceremonies at the two schools this past week.

“We received a grant for our Maker Space, a place where teachers can check out items to utilize in STEM activities for their class room,” said Howard revealed, noting STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. “We will be getting the Dash and Dot robots, several STEM kits, and the Osmos robots so they can practice coding and different activities through the robots.”

Crickmar said SES was one of 161 schools across the state that got the grant that could be used for anything STEM related. “The total grant program was around $580,000.”

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Director of Schools Patrick Cripps, Amy Fricks, DCHS Principal Randy Jennings, Dr. Kathy Bryant, Rachel Crickmar of the TVA, Jimmy Norris and Cody Burton display the $5,000 donation made to the high school STEM program by the TVA.

 “We are so excited that these materials are coming to Smithville Elementary,” said, Anita Puckett, Interim Principal at Smithville Elementary. “This grant will benefit every students in our school, and we are so thankful to the TVA and BVI for offering these grants.”

Across the valley, educators submitted projects large and small, to further their STEM education initiatives in the classroom.

The project Smithville Elementary submitted will create a makerspace and STEM Lab for their students to use which will expose them to multiple STEM experiences and careers while also strengthening their core academic skills.

The competitive grant program provided teachers an opportunity to apply for funding up to $5,000 and preference was given to grant applications that explored TVA’s primary areas of focus: environment, energy, economic and career development and community problem solving. Schools who receive grant funding must receive their power from a TVA distributor.

“The goal of the program was to help further STEM education across the valley,” said Rachel Crickmar, TVA Community Relations Program Manager. “We knew this program would be popular and competitive and now we’re are looking forward to seeing the impact these projects have.”