Congratulations Mini-Grant Recipients!
UCOR has awarded 36 STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) Education Mini-Grants for our 2023 Program. This year, UCOR funded projects in 28 regional schools for a total of $40,000.
Following are examples of the winning projects:
- Bringing the Weather to Us (Midtown Elementary, Roane County)
This grant supports elementary student understanding of the local environment by allowing them to study weather on their own playground. They will create a weather station to observe, collect, and record data. - As a MATTER of fact: let’s investigate (Huntsville Middle, Scott County)
This grant will enable fifth-grade students to conduct twelve different scientific investigations to identify and classify the three states of matter — observing, exploring, and measuring solids, liquids, and gases. - From seed to plate: using ecosystem dynamics to teach social/emotional learning (Farragut High, Knox County)
This grant helps bring STEM into social/emotional learning to enhance self and social awareness, decision making, and relationship building. The high school students will learn ecosystem dynamics through the lens of organic gardening (growing ingredients), ultimately learning to cook what they grow.
You can see a complete list of the 2023 grant recipients here.
We are proud to support STEM projects with our annual program, which covers nine East Tennessee counties. Since 2012, UCOR has awarded grants totaling $270,000.
Grants are available for both traditional STEM classes, as well as for STEM-enhancing projects in all areas (English, social studies, music, etc.).
Following is information about the program. The application process opens in the March timeframe each year.
Who can apply?
Mini-grants will go to K-12 teachers and schools in Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Knox, Loudon, Morgan, Roane, Scott, and Union counties. All applications should focus on STEM-related activities.
More than one teacher from a school may submit an application, but the school principal must approve each one. Funding levels are:
- Single classroom: $750
- Multiple classrooms: $1,000
- Entire school: $1,500
