FLORENCE– Kilby Laboratory School, on the University of North Alabama campus, has received a $5,000 grant from the Tennessee Valley Authority, in partnership with Bicentennial Volunteers Incorporated, a TVA retiree organization. Kilby was among 142 other institutions to be awarded monies designed to bring science, technology, engineering, and math education projects to schools throughout the Tennessee Valley.
The competitive STEM Classroom grant program, operated in partnership with Battelle Education, received more than 290 grant requests from across six states across TVA’s service territory.
Rachel Crickmar, Community Engagement Senior Program Manager
“This is the second year we offered this program to the entire Valley, and we saw a major increase in grant applications this year,” said Rachel Crickmar, Community Engagement Senior Program Manager. “There is a demand in the Valley for workforce development through STEM education, and I am proud of the way TVA and our retirees are responding to that demand.”
At Kilby, the award will be used to purchase new technology for student use.
“This grant is a great investment in our students and our school as we strive to enhance our academic programs with more STEM-related instruction and activities,” said Dr. Eric Kirkman, Kilby’s Director and Assistant Professor of Education in the College of Education and Human Sciences. “A lack of funding is an issue, so getting assistance from great partners like TVA is both valuable and encouraging. Having the means to purchase tech tools, such as computers, robots, and drones, helps us better prepare Kilby students for the industry and the world that
Dr. Eric Kirkman, Kilby’s Director
lies ahead of them.”
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.
A full list of the grant recipients may be found at www.tvastem.com.
Media Release/Michelle Eubanks
Interim Associate Director, Communications and Marketing
University Communications and Marketing
UNA
