The Murray/Calloway County Area Technology Center’s Machine Tool Program is the recipient of a $5,000 grant from the Tennessee Valle Authority (TVA). The funding will be used to purchase new equipment, tools, and supplies. The grant is in collaboration with TVA in partnership with Bicentennial Volunteers Inc., a TVA retiree organization awarding $1 million in grants to educators in public schools to develop science, technology, engineering, and math education projects across the Tennessee Valley.

“The Tennessee Valley Authority understands that excellence in education is the key to our future,” said TVA STEM Education Manager Rachel Crickmar. “We want to work directly with teachers to support initiatives that advance STEM activities in the classroom to develop a talent pipeline for TVA and its customers."

The program received 458 grant applications this year, and 238 were selected for funding. This year, the program will support about 136,000 students across seven states with hands-on STEM activities.

Representatives from TVA and the West Kentucky Rural Electrical Cooperative visited the ATC to discuss the grant programs, and visit with teachers and students.

Dan Hicks, ATC principal, said this is exciting. “I think this is a great opportunity for the ATC students in the Machine Tool program and our STEM initiatives,” he said. “This grant utilizes the much needed consumables in our program.”

For full overview of the ATC Machine Tool program visit: https://youtu.be/YNQidc8zZig

The Tennessee Valley Authority is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power companies serving nearly 10 million people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation.