ORAU awards more than $33,000 in education grants to nine East Tennessee teachers

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — Nine teachers from schools in Anderson, Roane and Scott Counties received more than $33,000 in teaching materials and supplies for the new school year through ORAU’s 2024 Education Grants.
 
A flight simulator program for Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) cadets, several 3D printers and filament, scientific calculators, a food composter, a worm farm, oxygen sensors, water testing kits, bee nesting tubes, bird houses and makerspace materials were among the items teachers requested for the classrooms. Through this new technology and supplies, education grant-winning teachers have tools to help them meet evolving state-wide curriculum standards and better engage their students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects.
 
Since the ORAU Education Grants program was launched in 2002, the organization has awarded more than $550,000 in resources to local schools because of its mission to support STEM opportunities.
 
“Education is foundational to ORAU’s purpose,” said Andy Page, ORAU president and CEO. “We’re proud to offer grants for East Tennessee teachers to use toward equipping their classrooms with technology and resources that will engage students in STEM disciplines. Our communities will be stronger because of these students who grow up and pursue STEM careers. We were able to fund proposed STEM projects for nine teachers this year, and we can’t wait to see the results.”
 
ORAU 2024 Education Grant recipients are:
 

• Ligia Boundy at Clinton High School, who requested scientific calculators.
• Rebekah Bozeman at Lake City Elementary, who requested a makerspace invention wall.
• Tracy Burton at Clinton Elementary School, who requested 3D printers.
• Judy Carson at Huntsville Elementary School, who requested STEM activities for the school library.
• Chad Feiock at Anderson County Career and Technical Center, who requested industrial 3D printers.
• Dallas Freeman at Clinton High School, who requested supplies for new science curriculum rotations.
• Carrie Giles at Oliver Springs High School, who requested a composting system for the special education program.
• Brandi Poore at Clinton Elementary School, who requested gardening supplies for a spring project.
• Timothy Vowell at Clinton High School, who requested a flight simulator program to spark JROTC cadets’ interest in an aviation career.