ECHS Engineering Receives $3000 Grant From TN Valley Robotics

ECHS personnel, students, and representatives from TN Valley Robotics and WRECC with a $3K grant to ECHS.

Darren Doyle, story:
ECHS Engineering recently received a grant from Tennessee Valley Robotics in the amount of $3000. The purpose of the program is to support robotics in education while teaching students the STEM skills needed to prepare them for the future job market.  These funds are available to the TVA/WRECC covered areas of Tennessee and Kentucky.

"ECHS Engineering applied for the funds and was granted the $3000 to assist in building their robotics program within the engineering pathway," said Mr. Shane Wilson, Engineering teacher at ECHS. The engineering program at the high school was created during the 21-22 school year and has several needs that go beyond normal classroom necessities.

"The program is in need of adding equipment, robots, and other items to help ECHS students learn robotics maintenance skills and programming, similar to what is used in factories and industrial settings," he added. "ECHS Engineering has also recently purchased an industrial robot used in the classroom and students will be able to become industry certified in the near future.  The TN Valley Robotics grant will be used to purchase even more equipment that will simulate a conveyor belt and robotics system used in an industrial setting.  These are skills needed in today's workforce that will give ECHS an advantage in the workforce."

ECHS Principal Jonathan Williams gave tribute to the superintendent and the school board for allowing new career pathways to serve local students, as well as Wilson's role as head of ECHS Engineering.

"We’re really excited at ECHS about Mr. Wilson’s pathway and what they’re doing with it," he said. "He’s done a great job identifying quality grants, writing for them, and of course, winning them. His students love the robotics, programming, manufacturing, and renewal energy projects they’re doing and we look forward to what lies ahead."

Mr. Wilson also said that the TN Valley Robotics program was able to contribute over $40,000 overall in robotics funds throughout KY with the initiative.