The Cannon County School District announced today that Woodbury Grammar School won a $100,00 Learning Environment grant through Tennessee Valley Authority’s School Uplift program.  

Tight budgets and aging buildings leave many schools facing a difficult decision between funding learning programs and making needed facility upgrades. TVA’s $7.3 million School Uplift program is helping 160 public schools in seven states solve that problem.

School Uplift is a 12-month, behavior-based energy management training program developed with the State of Tennessee’s Energy Efficient Schools Initiative. It’s designed to help public school districts make smart energy choices that improve the classroom learning environment and save money through decreased energy use. 

“School Uplift is another great example of TVA and Middle Tennessee Electric’s work to enrich our community,” said Emily Hancock, Woodbury Grammar School Principal. “We are so excited to have earned this grant, which we will invest in needed upgrades that will improve our facility and make Woodbury Grammar more efficient, healthy and comfortable. That means our teachers can focus more on teaching and our students can thrive.”

TVA sponsored a school celebration on Monday, May 23, at Woodbury Grammar School in honor of the award and treated students to shaved ice from Kona Ice. William Curtis, Director of Cannon County Schools, was in attendance along with members of the Board of Education.

Middle Tennessee Electric’s President Chris Jones, who also attended the morning’s festivities, said, “We are very proud that Woodbury Grammar has been awarded this grant. It’s important to ensure that our children have an optimal learning environment that’s also energy efficient, and this grant will allow the school to take a huge step forward in the right direction.”

Sixty schools have completed the School Uplift pilot over the past two years, competing to earn grants for building upgrades and other learning environment improvements. On average, participating schools have saved more than 10% on their annual energy bills from behavior changes alone. 

“Every dollar invested in our schools helps districts allocate resources to where it matters most – educating our children – and we’re excited to bring School Uplift to the communities we serve,” said Cindy Herron, vice president of TVA EnergyRight. “Helping schools save money on their energy costs and improve learning environments is an important investment in the Valley’s future. I look forward to seeing how this program makes an impact for years to come.”

TVA EnergyRight and MTE will continue to recruit public K-12 schools for the 2023-2024 program later this year. Visit https://energyright.com/business-industry/school-uplift/ to express interest in participating in this exciting program.

Source: Partner Station WBRY