Local teacher uses $10,000 grant to boost students’ science careers

A local teacher at Unaka High School is utilizing a $10,000 grant to prepare students for real-world science careers before they graduate. The grant, awarded through the Tennessee Valley Authority’s School Uplift Initiative, is being used to purchase high-level lab equipment, providing students with hands-on access to tools used in real research labs.

The Bio-STEM program, directed by a biology teacher at the school, helps students earn industry-recognized credentials in biotechnology, lab safety, and applied science. These credentials can open doors to careers immediately after graduation.

“They can leave this program and have micro-credentials,” said Kathrine Nichols, a science teacher at Unaka High School. “It allows students to work in labs, be a part of research opportunities, and have a really unique experience before they graduate that most kids wouldn’t get without that program.”

Currently, the program is exclusive to Unaka High School but there are plans to potentially expand it across the Carter County School District.

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