ORAU awards $21,000 in education grants to nine East Tennessee teachers

Nine teachers from schools in Anderson, Campbell, Morgan and Scott Counties received a total of $21,000 in new teaching materials and supplies through the 2022 edition of the ORAU Education Grants program.

"We are grateful to all of the teachers who dedicate themselves to their students’ success," said Andy Page, ORAU president and CEO.

Robotics kits, 3D printers and filament, computers, caterpillars, books and makerspace materials were among the items teachers requested for the classrooms. With new technology and classroom supplies, teachers will have the tools to meet evolving state-wide curriculum standards, and to better engage their students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.

Since the Education Grants program was launched in 2002, ORAU has awarded more than half a million dollars to Clinton City and Anderson County Schools in it its mission to support STEM programs. Education grants were not offered in 2021 because of the pandemic, and the program was re-launched and expanded to five counties earlier this year.

“ORAU is proud to provide educators with the resources they need to enhance their students’ educations and STEM learning experience,” said Andy Page, ORAU president and CEO. “Our Education Grants program is keeping with our mission to strengthen STEM education in our region. We are grateful to all of the teachers who dedicate themselves to their students’ success."

ORAU 2022 Education Grant recipients are:

• Lorrie Irwin at North Clinton Elementary, who requested Lego Robotics Kits to expand robotics education at her school.
• Brittany Ferris at Jacksboro Elementary School, who requested items to create a makerspace in her classroom, including coding kits, craft supplies, safety glasses, storage carts, Snap Circuits and more.
• Rebekah Boseman at Lake City Elementary, who requested several 3D printers, 3D printing pens, filament and other supplies.

• Shana Readel at Claxton Elementary School, who requested several classroom sets of books and materials for building projects related to them.
• Mark Martin at Oneida High School, who requested a Dell workstation and monitor to create a data visualization laboratory.
• Lisa Buckner at Linden Elementary School in Oak Ridge, who requested items to expand the “design den” in her classroom, including adhesive vinyl, buttons, cardstock and more.
• Amy Haney at Clinton High School, who requested 3D printers, 3D printing pens, filament and more to help her students solve real-world problems.
• Sara Green at Woodland Elementary School in Oak Ridge, who requested 3D printers and filament to build a 3D printing lab in the school’s library.
• Amelia Bell at Glenwood Elementary in Oak Ridge, who requested library sets of books, caterpillars, owl pellets and other resources to help her students understand food webs and ecosystems.

Education Grant recipients were chosen from competitive proposals submitted by individual teachers in Anderson, Campbell, Morgan, Roane and Scott counties.