The Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) and the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network (TSIN) have awarded 13 new schools the Tennessee STEM/STEAM School Designation for 2024, bringing the total number of designated schools to 127 across the state. Additionally, 15 schools with a five-year STEM/STEAM designation earned redesignation, according to a recent announcement from the state.¶
Among the schools redesignated as STEM/STEAM schools is D-B EXCEL, a program operated by Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport City Schools. Notably, D-B EXCEL is one of the few designated schools outside Tennessee's largest metropolitan areas.¶
The designation process focused on five key areas: infrastructure, curriculum and instruction, professional development, achievement, and community and postsecondary partnerships. According to a news release from Kingsport City Schools, the DB-EXCEL program provides students with hands-on education in science, technology, engineering, and math-related fields while fostering meaningful connections with teachers, peers, the community, and the region. The program currently serves over 250 students.¶
“We would like to congratulate Principal Shanna Hensley and the D-B EXCEL students and staff on the work they invested to earn the repeat designation as a STEM Designated School,” said Kingsport City Schools Superintendent Chris Hampton in a public statement. “It is an honor to earn the designation, and we celebrate the learning experiences and higher-order thinking students receive through our specially designed curriculum.”¶
Principal Shanna Hensley expressed her pride in the program’s achievements:¶
“Over the past six years, our understanding and implementation of STEM practices have evolved profoundly, significantly enhancing our students' readiness for the challenges of the 21st century. This achievement reflects our dedicated teachers' commitment to deeply understanding and fostering the skills our students need to thrive in an ever-changing world,” Hensley said.¶
According to the state’s announcement, the STEM/STEAM designation recognizes schools for their efforts in preparing students for post-secondary programs and future careers by building essential skills in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) or STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics). The designation program, established in 2018, provides a roadmap for schools to successfully implement STEM/STEAM learning initiatives at the local level.¶
The newly designated STEM/STEAM schools include:¶
- Arnold Memorial Elementary School
- Creek Cherokee Elementary School
- Harrison Bay Future Ready Center
- Oliver Springs Middle School
- Rose Hill School
- Sea Isle Elementary School
- Taylor Elementary School
- Valley View Elementary School
- West View Elementary School
- Crosstown High School
- Elmore Park Middle School
- Lake Forest Middle School
- Liberty Creek Elementary School
