Students across Anderson, Roane and Campbell Counties will soon be designing, coding, building and experimenting with new STEM tools thanks to ORAU’s 2026 Education Grants program.
Tracy Burton, technology instructor at Clinton Elementary School, says the BeeBots purchased by ORAU will help students build foundational STEM skills through play-based learning.
This year, ORAU awarded more than $24,000 in classroom grants to nine local educators, funding hands-on projects that bring science, technology, engineering and math learning to life for students of all ages.
The funded projects range from robotics coding devices and engineering kits for elementary classrooms to industrial-grade 3D printers for high school programs that merge traditional life sciences with hands-on STEM technical training. Other grants will provide STEM-focused books, classroom iPads, cardboard construction tools and heart rate monitors that connect physical education with real-world science and data.
Remi Baird and Phoebe Ureste, fourth grade students at Briceville Elementary School, practice hands-on critical thinking skills using their new ChompSaw tool.
“I am most excited about the way this technology helps students see themselves as innovators, engineers and creators,” said Linden Elementary School teacher Lisa Buckner, a 2026 ORAU education grant winner. “These tools are used not only in my classroom but also during outreach events and STEM nights which reach even more students. It is incredibly rewarding to watch students collaborate, think critically and become excited about STEM through authentic, engaging experiences.”
Since launching the program in 2002, ORAU has invested more than $600,000 in local schools to help educators introduce students to new technologies, creative problem-solving and career-connected learning opportunities.
“We are proud to support educators who are creating future-focused lessons for their students,” said Meghan Millwood, ORAU president and CEO. “These grants help provide classrooms with innovative STEM tools and resources that encourage curiosity, creativity and hands-on discovery. By investing in teachers and students across East Tennessee, ORAU is helping strengthen the next generation of problem-solvers and STEM leaders.”
2026 ORAU Education Grant Recipients:
- Courtney Bass, Norwood Elementary School: Strawbees engineering tools.
- Lisa Buckner, Linden Elementary School: iPads.
- Tracy Burton, Clinton Elementary School: Beebots coding tools.
- Skylar Mozingo, Briceville Elementary School: Chompsaws and cardboard construction kits.
- Ramona Owen, Norwood Elementary School: Strawbees engineering tools and coding robots.
- Traci Roca, Linden Elementary School: sets of STEM Scholastic books.
- Darcy Soard, Rockwood High School: 3D printers for the CTE BioSTEM program.
- Aaron Vaughn, LaFollette Elementary School: heart rate monitors for physical education.
- Angela Whitley, Clinton Middle School: Chompsaws and robots.
Grant recipients were selected through a competitive proposal process open to teachers in Anderson, Campbell, Morgan, Roane and Scott counties.
For more information about this and other ORAU-supported programs in education, visit K-12 STEM Education Programs.