The Tennessee Valley Authority, in partnership with Dyersburg Electric Company and Bicentennial Volunteers Incorporated (a TVA retiree organization), recently awarded Finley Elementary School, $5,000.00 for a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education project.
The grant award is a part of $800,000 in competitive STEM grants awarded to nearly 200 schools across TVA’s seven-state service territory.
“We are very honored that TVA chose to fund our project. Our students will have the opportunity to learn and become involved in STEM on various levels. The VR headsets will give them an opportunity to explore STEM careers and participate in virtual learning experiences,” said, Crystal Lock, STEM Coordinator and 3rd Grade teacher at Finley Elementary School.
Across the valley, educators submitted projects large and small, to further their STEM education initiatives in the classroom.
The project Finley Elementary School submitted will provide eight VR headsets for use in the STEM Lab. The headsets will support curriculum by allowing students to explore areas of learning that they may not have access to such as virtual field trips and career development.
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 as well as pandemic related projects. Schools who receive grant funding must receive their power from a TVA distributor.
A full list of the grant recipients can be found at www.tvastem.com.
The Tennessee Valley Authority is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power companies serving nearly 10 million people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA receives no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales of electricity. In addition to operating and investing its revenues in its electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation.