The Ripken Foundation and the Tennessee Valley Authority have partnered to install two STEM Centers at Boys & Girls Clubs in Bluff City and Bristol, VA. Local Virginia youth will have the opportunity to learn STEM concepts at an early age using modern, state-of-the-art educational tools and the Ripken Foundation STEM curriculum.
Both youth and staff attended the ribbon cutting ceremonies to celebrate their new Centers and to try out all of the fun STEM activities. One staff member talked about the new excitement she is seeing from the kids for the STEM Center. "It's been really interesting to watch them. Instead of 'Oh, I don't want to go in there, there's nothing to do,' we have all of this fun stuff. They are always saying 'What are we doing today! What are we going to make todays!' So, it's really fun to watch".
Jeannette Mills, Executive Vice President and Chief External Relations Officer for TVA, spoke more about the partnership with the Foundation. "We're excited to partner with the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation to help provide opportunities for children across our region," said Mills. She continued, "Our commitment to STEM has always been at the heart of TVA's mission, and this new initiative gives us the chance to make an even more tangible impact and investment on the future of the STEM workforce."
Read more about this partnership in an article from TimesNews here. To learn more about our STEM Center initiative, click here.