Local educators selected to participate in STEM learning opportunity for rural communities 

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee STEM Innovation Network, a public/private partnership between the Tennessee Department of Education and Battelle Education, announced today the 2022-23 cohort of the Tennessee Rural STEM Collaborative (TRSC) – a yearlong professional development opportunity for rural educators designed to share promising practices in STEM education, seek solutions to local education challenges and encourage the development of a targeted STEM solution for each community or school represented. This year, three Upper Cumberland teachers were among the 45 educators representing 28 counties across Tennessee competitively selected for the Collaborative.  

Upper Cumberland teachers chosen for the 2022-23 cohort include Stacey Watkins, York Elementary School in Fentress County; Suzanne Goolsby, Burks Elementary School in Putnam County; and Angela McCulley, White County High School.

“All communities, regardless of zip code, possess local assets that can support quality STEM instruction and workforce development initiatives,” said Brandi Stroecker, Director of the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network. “The Collaborative model is intentionally designed to connect rural educators with community partners and facilitate co-learning about STEM teaching strategies, promoting immediate impact at the local level and collective impact statewide.” The TRSC was recently profiled in an Education Week whitepaper titled, “Expanding STEM Learning Opportunities in Rural Schools,” that highlights several educator experiences and programmatic data.

Within the Collaborative, there are three regional cohorts that will map the STEM resources unique to the educational landscapes in West, Middle and East Tennessee. The Collaborative provides a stipend for teachers to engage with the program and implement a targeted STEM initiative within their own communities. For more information, visit https://www.tsin.org/tennessee-rural-stem-collaborative.  

The Tennessee STEM Innovation Network is a public-private collaborative between the Tennessee Department of Education and Battelle Education, emphasizing a “kindergarten through jobs” philosophy by promoting the teaching and learning of STEM education and integrating real-world and hands-on learning in K-12 public schools across Tennessee. Visit: www.TSIN.org

2022-2023 Tennessee Rural STEM Collaborative Cohort