The TSIN STEM Classroom Grant Program, sponsored by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in partnership with Bicentennial Volunteers Incorporated (BVI, a TVA retiree organization), has awarded $5,000 to Fayette Academy’s middle school STEM classes. Miss Terri’s classes have used the money to purchase LEGO Spike Prime robot kits and have recently competed at Collierville High School in the FIrst LEGO League Mini-Challenge.

The Spike Prime LEGO kits provide a hands-on, engaging approach to learning that promotes critical skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The kits are designed to be engaging for all students, making complex ideas in Computer Science and STEM accessible to every learner, regardless of previous learning. The kits promote creativity and problem solving as they encourage innovation and critical thinking through open-ended challenges/projects. Students brainstorm, prototype, design, and build their own solutions, further enhancing their problem-solving skills. The team-based nature of working with LEGO Spike Prime kits fosters collaboration and communication among students, increasing the needed soft skills of students today. Special thanks to the TSIN STEM Classroom Grant Program!