Tullahoma City Schools received exciting news as the district was awarded $10,000 in grant funds from TE Connectivity.
“TCS is so thankful for TE Connectivity and the commitment that they have toward supporting our teachers and students through innovative program offerings,” said TCS Director of Schools, Dr. Catherine Stephens. “These funds will ensure that our educators continue to have the resources they need to create unique and meaningful learning opportunities for our students.”
Bel-Aire and Jack T. Farrar elementary schools are the largest beneficiaries, as the campuses combined to receive $4,920 in grant funds. The money that both schools receive will improve the makerspaces at both campuses.
“Makerspaces are learning environments constructed to enable students and members of the community to use various tools, technologies collaboratively, and materials to innovate, invent, engineer and creatively solve real-world problems using a hands-on approach,” said Chelle Daniels, the grant author for both Bel-Aire and Farrar elementary schools. “The makerspaces at both schools will re-envision our current media center to become a more flexible and state-of-the-art multi-purpose space. These makerspaces will include multiple technologies, materials, tools and flexible workstations. Students will be able to explore its resources and connect learning across the disciplines of science, math, the arts, reading, writing, technology and engineering.”
West Middle School is the recipient of $1,500 to purchase STEM materials, specifically for eighth-grade students. In the grant request, author Jill Kimzey also noted that electricity and magnetism kits would be purchased as well as chemistry, architectural and physics kits. She also stated that West would buy items that would be beneficial in constructing robotics, including arms and hands.
Tullahoma High School received $3,580 from the grant. The Technology Student Association and Robotics is the recipient $1,080, while the eSports club was allotted $1,000. Angela Pendergraff authored both grants and stated that both clubs would benefit significantly from the money.
“Both eSports and TSA compete against each other as well as other schools and in eSports, from across the nation,” Pendergraff said. “During eSports, students work on hand-eye coordination and visual acuity. For TSA and robotics, students design, construct, code and use machines to perform tasks traditionally done by humans. Students work as teammates to be creative and solve problems. TSA and Robotics lay the groundwork for future careers and interests.”
Additionally, the Tullahoma High School CATSROCK program received $1,500 from the grant. According to Charlie Hickerson, the money the club receives will go toward the purchase of guitars for students to use during PAWS, a student activity period.
“This will allow students to be provided an artistic mode of self-expression through music on a daily basis during the school day during PAWS time,” Hickerson said. “Incorporating arts not only improves a student’s physical and emotional growth, but it improves their emotional and social development as well.”
