Grand Challenge
Rural Reimagined Center Spotlight: The Oakley STEM Center & Educational Community Outreach
Rural Reimagined is proud to recognize the Oakley STEM Center, a partner whose mission
and educational outreach in the community directly aligns with TN Tech鈥檚 Grand Challenge.
Since the implementation of COVID-19 remote learning, the STEM Center has delivered
weekly digital/printable STEM activities featuring a wide range of topics to ensure
that students in our Upper Cumberland region continue learning, engaging, and experiencing
STEM education.
The STEM Center has always succeeded in providing our rural communities with access
to STEM education though their lending library, student field trips, the annual Science
& Engineering Fair, the STEMobile, educator professional development workshops, and
engaging community outreach events. Additionally, they continue to ensure that our
regional community has an abundance of interactive programs and activities even during
challenging times when face-to-face interactions are not possible.
The STEM Center Director, Darek Potter states, 鈥淎s a STEM infused university, it is
essential that we continue to provide access to high quality learning experiences
for students in our regional communities. We are excited about the current resources
and programs that are being developed by our team each week to support students, teachers,
and parents as they navigate the current challenges associated with distance learning.
It is critical that we continue to be innovative and purposeful while meeting the
needs of our surrounding rural communities.鈥
Rural Reimagined鈥檚 mission is to harness science, technology, and innovation to transform
rural living, and we couldn鈥檛 work towards that goal without partners like the Oakley
STEM Center. Wings up, STEM Center!
Follow this link to learn more about the Oakley STEM Center. /education/stem/
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