Chattanooga
Clear
H 92°
L 68°
75°
Altamont
Clear
H 94°
L 71°
75°
Athens
Clear
H 90°
L 67°
73°
Benton
Clear
H 93°
L 69°
74°
Chatsworth
Clear
H 93°
L 69°
74°
Cleveland
Clear
H 92°
L 67°
70°
Dalton
Clear
H 92°
L 68°
72°
Dayton
Clear
H 87°
L 66°
70°
Dunlap
Clear
H 93°
L 69°
74°
Murphy
Clear
H 90°
L 67°
73°
Pikeville
Clear
H 87°
L 66°
70°
Scottsboro
Clear
H 92°
L 66°
71°
Summerville
Clear
H 93°
L 67°
73°
Ringgold
Clear
H 93°
L 69°
74°
Trenton
Clear
H 93°
L 69°
74°
Chattanooga
Clear
H 92°
L 68°
75°
Altamont
Clear
H 94°
L 71°
75°
Athens
Clear
H 90°
L 67°
73°
Benton
Clear
H 93°
L 69°
74°
Chatsworth
Clear
H 93°
L 69°
74°
Dalton
Clear
H 92°
L 68°
72°
Dayton
Clear
H 87°
L 66°
70°
Dunlap
Clear
H 93°
L 69°
74°
Murphy
Clear
H 90°
L 67°
73°
Pikeville
Clear
H 87°
L 66°
70°
Summerville
Clear
H 93°
L 67°
73°
Ringgold
Clear
H 93°
L 69°
74°
Trenton
Clear
H 93°
L 69°
74°

Reporter
The centers come with robotics tools, coding games and other technology students can use to explore STEM concepts. READ MORE: https://www.local3news.com/local-news/soddy-daisy-middle-school-unveils-new-stem-learning-center/article_73b6e83e-8bb6-4267-841b-f6ab7381ddf5.html
The centers come with robotics tools, coding games and other technology students can use to explore STEM concepts. READ MORE: https://www.local3news.com/local-news/soddy-daisy-middle-school-unveils-new-stem-learning-center/article_73b6e83e-8bb6-4267-841b-f6ab7381ddf5.html

It may be a new room at Soddy Daisy Middle School, but students are already getting to work in the Cal Ripken, Sr. STEM Center.
“It’s opportunities that we otherwise wouldn’t have. It means everything,” said Soddy Daisy Middle School STEM teacher Brad Laxton.
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) says this is its 47th STEM center in our area, developed through a partnership with the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation.
“We have been in partnership with them for almost three years, and our partnership is centered on STEM Center and Robotics Club installation across the Tennessee Valley,” said Althea Jones, TVA’s director of community engagement.
The centers come with robotics tools, coding games and other technology students can use to explore STEM concepts.
For teachers, that means learning right alongside their students.
“With this class, more so than any, I’m learning with them, and so we kind of have those moments together. Like, let’s see how cool this is,” said Laxton.
Laxton says his students have even surprised him with how quickly they’ve picked up new concepts.
“Everything that I have challenged these students with, they have blown it away. What I thought would take them a week, they did in a day,” says Laxton.
The students are getting the chance to put that curiosity into action.
“You’re learning how to code and how to solve your problems,” said 6th-grade student Madi Skiba.
For TVA, that’s exactly the point.
The agency says introducing students to STEM at an early age can help prepare them for future careers.
“We know the importance of STEM education to be able to learn these concepts at an early age and be able to use them throughout their school journey,” explained Jones.
School leaders say this room is about giving students a place where they can try something, fail, try again and eventually turn an idea into something real.
“I hope that students make lots of mistakes in this room because making mistakes is where we learn the most valuable lessons,” added Karen Cox, principal of Soddy Daisy Middle School.
As these students continue experimenting in this new space, the hope is that they’ll carry those skills with them well beyond middle school.
“These kids are going to love coming in here every day. And so far, I think they have,” Laxton said.
TVA plans to open even more STEM centers, with a goal of having more than 50 centers by the end of this year.
Reporter
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.
We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:
Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.