ANTIOCH, Tenn. — Many teachers looking for ways to bring innovation into the classroom are also on tight budgets.
Antioch Middle School STEAM teacher Tomas Yan wanted the latest and greatest tools in his classroom, so he applied for a grant from Dell Nashville. He won.
"My students, they watch social media," Yan said. "I try to look at what the trends out there are, the new technology that is out there and I try to think how I can use that in a project."
When Yan received a $5,000 STEAM Innovation Grant, he purchased two electric wood-carving machines.
"We were building houses out of Popsicle sticks, hot glue and cardboard, the traditional stuff, but now my students have the ability to draw and design their houses on the computer," Yan said.
Yan hopes his students can apply what they learn in his class to their future careers.
Dell Nashville has the same goal.
"Getting to them as young as possible to spark that creativity or to let them know what they can do or can be, that is how we're going to make an impact," Carnell Elliott said.
The next round of grants from Dell have been awarded to Head Magnet Middle School ($5,000), Rose Park Magnet Middle School ($2,500) and Wright Middle School ($2,500).
