CMS and CES Receive STEM Grants

Corinth Elementary School and Corinth Middle School both received $5,000 STEM Classroom Grants sponsored by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in partnership with Bicentennial Volunteers Incorporated (BVI, a TVA retiree organization). This year, over 400 applications were submitted totaling over $1.9 million in funding. 

The elementary school will use the grant to create a Makerspace, a collaborative work space that encourages exploring "making" through using both high- and low-tech tools. Makerspaces provide opportunities for students to demonstrate creativity, develop teamwork and communication skills, and encourage self-directed learning. The purchase of a pre-stocked Makerspace cart allows Makerspace activities to easily be transported to the library, STEM, and classrooms. 

The middle school’s application focused on “Making STEM Career Choices a (Virtual) Reality.” This grant will be used to purchase hand-held VR and AR cubes, providing students with hands-on experience through career-based STEM investigations and designs. One example of the engaging curriculum includes students acting as an engineer and designing 3D and virtual bridges based on real-life contexts. A mock “board of directors” will evaluate and provide feedback on the student designs.

“The district is thrilled to receive this funding that will be used to support hands-on STEM learning for years to come,” said Hannah Montgomery, Instructional Technologist at Corinth School District. “We are always looking for ways to bring in meaningful STEM experiences that will help transform our STEM programs and foster skills to create a future-ready workforce. We are grateful for TVA's commitment to giving back to our community and for investing in our students."