TVA awards Say Watt!?! Robotics Team with funding

MADISON – The Tennessee Valley Authority or TVA has included a team from Madison City Schools in its award funding to schools and non-profit organizations to establish new robotics programs or to improve existing ones.

The TVA Robotics Award Program gave $2,500 to the Say Watt!?! Robotics Team with members in Madison schools. In total, North Alabama schools received more than $50,000 from TVA, according to WHNT News 19 (whnt.com/community). All teams that received funding are in the northern section of the state.

TVA established a connection with Bicentennial Volunteers Inc., a TVA retiree organization, to invest in youth with the awards. In addition, the TVA STEM classroom program was initiated in 2015.

In summer 2024, Say Watt!?! won the Finalist Championship award at the FIRST LEGO League’s Western Edge Invitational in Long Beach, Calif. The team also earned a runner-up alliance award and a third place runner- up for champion finalist — the only U.S. team to rank.

FIRST LEGO League introduces STEM learning to children with interesting challenges and competitions using LEGO curriculum.

Team members in Say Watt!?! in 2024 were Discovery Middle School students Charli Cook, Cathy Liao and Carter Pettigrew; Journey Middle School students Liam Acker and Maddox Acker; and Columbia Elementary School students Tyler Pysh and Rhylan Holcombe. Their leaders included coaches Justin Cook, Brianne Holcombe and John Holcombe, along with team parent Stefanie Cook.

According to TVA, in contrast to STEM awards, robotics awards are only available to official robotics programs and should be used to help cover costs associated with robotics teams and/or competition.

Robotics fosters creativity, problem-solving and teamwork — skills that are essential for success in the workforce of tomorrow. By introducing students to robotics at an early age, teachers and coaches can help students develop critical-thinking skills that will set them up for future opportunities.

This award from TVA provides an opportunity to bring innovative technology and hands-on learning to schools and robotics programs outside of the classroom.

For more information, visit tva.com/education/ robotics or firstlegoleague. org.