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Education Grants

East Tennessee Educators, how can ORAU help meet the needs of your classroom?

Through ORAU Education Grants, that’s how.

Educators in five East Tennessee Counties – Anderson, Campbell, Morgan, Roane and Scott – are invited annually to submit proposals to fund STEM programs.

Applications for the next round of ORAU Education Grants will open on Monday, February 5, 2024. ORAU will offer a total of $30,000 in grants to support the program, and funds are available for projects to be carried out during the 2024-25 school year.

Projects are funded based on quality, educational enrichment, creativity, and available funds. Funding decisions are made by a committee that includes former classroom educators. Awards will be announced before the end of the 2024 school year and recipients will be notified by email. Questions should be directed to Michael Holtz, who can be reached at 865.466.0701 or michael.holtz@orau.org.

ORAU provides Education Grants because we are committed to strengthening K-12 science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. We also sponsor the annual Extreme Classroom Makeover competition, K-12 summer programs for students, and STEM educator professional development programs.

Impact Areas

Six educators received ORAU Education Grants in 2023

Six educators across five East Tennessee counties received ORAU Education Grants in 2023. This year’s recipients are:

  • Rebekah Bozeman, Lake City Elementary School, who purchased building blocks, fort boards, interactive globes, Spirographs, mazes ands iPad minis to use in a variety of ways to teach kindergarten through sixth grade students.
  • Lori Irwin, North Clinton Elementary School, who purchased Little Bits STEAM kits to teach coding and robotics to her students.
  • Jana Shanafield, Jefferson Middle School in Oak Ridge, who purchased LEGO Spike Robot kits, which will help her grow a LEGO League Robotics Team.
  • Aimee Wallace, Petros Joyner School in Oliver Springs, who purchased frog and earthworm dissection kits, magnet lab activities, acids and bases lab activities and portable lab tables with sinks, among other items to provide a variety of lessons for her students.
  • Brittany Farris, Jacksboro Elementary School, who purchased microscopes and slides, magnet lab kits, 3D printer pens and filament, a makerspace cart and other items to complete a variety of lesson plans with her students.
  • Eva Robbins, Oliver Springs High School, who purchased LEGO Spike Robotics and Prime kits to help her students better understand coding and robotics using problem solving and critical thinking skills.
Six educators received ORAU Education Grants in 2023

East Tennessee teachers, how can we help?

Since 2002, ORAU has funded more than $521,000 in grants to area schools for projects that support ORAU’s mission of enriching STEM education programs.

Previous grant recipients have purchased iPads, laptops, 3D printers, robotics kits, virtual reality headsets, and other technology to complement classroom instruction.

Projects are funded based on quality, educational enrichment, creativity, and available funds.

East Tennessee teachers, how can we help?

Contact us

Want to learn more about the Education Grants Program? Email us at communications@orau.org.