In the next few weeks, 30 teachers in Hamilton County and the surrounding region are hoping to identify local businesses, non-profits, and other community resources that can help inform classroom lessons around science, technology, engineering, and math. Led by the Public Education Foundation through the Southeast Tennessee STEM Innovation Hub, STEM Teaching Fellows are working on a comprehensive summer project requiring input from the region’s business leaders and community members.
Known as the STEM Community Asset Mapping project, the STEM Teaching Fellows will identify local resources for supporting students’ hands-on, real-world learning both inside and outside of the classroom. During the summer, teams of STEM Fellows will be holding community meetings throughout the region to bring citizens into this important conversation. These sessions will provide information on STEM and its importance to our economy and educational system. Then the participants will discuss the ways in which STEM education can be enhanced in the local community through partnerships with businesses, nonprofits and community members.
These STEM meetings are open to the public and participation is encouraged. The following dates and locations have been set, with more STEM sessions to come later in the summer:
- June 26 at 7 a.m. in the Signal Mountain Middle High School Theater, 2650 Sam Powell Dr., Signal Mountain
- July 10 at 7 p.m. in the East Hamilton High School Theater, 2015 Ooltewah Ringgold Road Ooltewah
- July 11 at 5:30 p.m. on the third floor of Public Education Foundation, 100 East 10th Street, Chattanooga
For more information on the STEM Teaching Fellows Initiative and STEM education in the region, please visit www.setennesseestem.org. or www.pefchattanooga.org.