Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation and Tennessee Valley Authority to Open 27 STEM Centers in 7 States

TUPELO-A ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the opening of the first of 27 new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) centers is set for National STEM Day.

The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation (CRSF), in partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), is set to open a state-of-the-art STEM Center at the Tupelo City-Haven Acres Boys & Girls Club in Tupelo, Mississippi on Wednesday, November 8. The press conference will celebrate the new TVA STEM Center in Tupelo as well as formally introduce the entire project which will include TVA STEM Centers in seven states. (See STEM Center location list below.)

The centers, developed from a $1.1M partnership between the Tennessee Valley Authority and Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation will provide new state-of-the-art STEM equipment and furniture for elementary and middle school-aged youth to learn and engage with hands-on STEM tools such as snap circuits, Bee-Bots, and Ozobots, each designed to push students to improve their problem solving and critical thinking skills.

The ribbon cutting will take place at Tupelo City – Haven Acres Boys & Girls Club – 3288 Willie Moore Rd., Tupelo, MS 38801 on Wednesday, November 8 at 8:00AM.  The speakers for the event will be Steve Salem, President & CEO, Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation,  Zell Long, President/CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of North Mississippi, Becky Rollins, Board Member, Boys & Girls Clubs of North Mississippi, Bill Renick, Board Member, Tennessee Valley Authority, Jeannette Mills, Executive V.P., Tennessee Valley Authority, and Cal Ripken, Jr., Hall of Famer and Co-Founder of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation.

List of 27 New TVA STEM Centers:

Boys & Girls Club of Ardmore                                              Ardmore, AL

Boys & Girls Club of Athens                                                 Athens, AL

Girls Incorporated of Huntsville                                           Huntsville, AL

Boys and Girls Club of North Alabama- Seminole Club    Huntsville, AL

Rescue Me Project                                                                    Sheffield, AL

Boys and Girls Clubs of Chattooga County                          Dalton, GA

Genesis Express in Cadiz                                                         Cadiz, KY

Boys & Girls Clubs of Franklin-Simpson                              Franklin, KY

Fulton County Schools                                                             Hickman, KY

Boys & Girls Clubs of Golden Triangle (Starkville Club)  Starkville, MS

Haven Acres B&GC (Tupelo)                                                   Tupelo, MS

Murphy Elementary School                          Murphy, NC

Boys and Girls Clubs of the Mountain Empire                    Bluff City, TN

Boys and Girls Clubs of Chattanooga                                   Chattanooga, TN

Millard Oakley STEM in Cookeville                                      Cookeville, TN

Boys & Girls Clubs of Hatchie River Region                       Covington, TN

Boys and Girls   Fairview Club                                                Fairview, TN

Boys & Girls Clubs of Jackson                                                 Jackson, TN

Boys and Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley                     Knoxville, TN

Northaven Elementary                                                             Memphis, TN

Boys & Girls Club Greater Memphis JUICE PLUS+             Memphis, TN

Bedford County Boys and Girls Club                                     Shelbyville, TN

Gateway STEM Center                                                              Springfield, TN

Boys and Girls Clubs of the Ocoee Region                           Sweetwater, TN

Boys and Girls Clubs of the Cumberland Plateau               Oneida, TN

Boys and Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley            Rocky Top,TN

Boys and Girls Clubs of the Mountain Empire                    Bristol, VA

Media Release/Nancy Yasharoff /MaroonPRCreativeCommunications