Todd County Middle School hosts ribbon cutting for new STEM Center

To make STEM education more accessible to young learners, Todd County Middle School educators partnered with the Tennessee Valley Authority to open the school’s new Cal Ripken, Sr. STEM Center.

On Wednesday, students and teachers hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new STEM center, giving the community a chance to see it. A few years ago, the TVA started partnering with the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation to promote STEM education across the power provider’s service region.

TVA Government and Community Relations Director Virginia Gray says science, technology, engineering and mathematics are more than just subjects in a textbook; they are the foundation of the future workforce. She also says STEM education helps students become problem solvers, innovators and leaders.

Todd County Middle School student Maggie Skipworth shared that the new tools in the STEM Center allow them to connect what they learn in class to real-world careers and solutions.

Following the ribbon cutting, STEM Teacher Maggie Kulesza invited folks to her classroom, and students showed off the STEM Center’s equipment and resources. Students were assembling snap circuits and displaying 3D-printed items, drones and spherical robots.

Kulesza says it’s great to see her students enjoy the new resources, and it feels like they are little inventors now. She also says the STEM Center’s resources have allowed them to support other classrooms.

TVA Government and Community Relations Team Program Manager Jana Sublett shared that, in partnership with the foundation, they have opened 43 STEM Centers at schools in their seven-state service region.

Maggie Skipworth and Maggie Kulesza

Virginia Gray