Academic specialist Amy Castleberry and librarian Alex Galistel will participate in the yearlong cohort, which is designed for rural educators to share promising practices in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education, seek solutions to local education challenges and encourage the development of a targeted STEM solution for each community or school represented.
Forty-three educators representing 18 counties across Tennessee were competitively selected for the Collaborative.
The Tennessee STEM Innovation Network, a public/private partnership between the Tennessee Department of Education and Battelle Education, launched the Collaborative last year.
Within the Collaborative, there are three regional cohorts that will map the STEM resources and potential partners unique to the educational landscapes in West, Middle and East Tennessee.
The Collaborative provides a stipend for teachers to engage with the program and implement their proposed solution within their own communities.
“Rural communities have a great need for a prepared STEM workforce. We are excited to work with this geographically diverse group of educators to enhance STEM education for Tennessee students,” said Sandy Watkins, director of the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network. “Over the course of this yearlong program, each of the educators in the Collaborative will develop tools and identify local partnerships to engage their students through STEM opportunities.”