UT and Oak Ridge partners train 4-H agents and teachers to bring lessons to sixth graders
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A new school year means more students are learning science, technology, engineering and math concepts through STEMOVATE led by teachers and Tennessee 4-H agents.
STEMOVATE: Powering Tennessee’s Future Innovators expanded from 22 to 56 Tennessee counties for the 2026-27 school year. In August, the program hosted a five-day, five-city training tour to prepare the instructors from the new 34 counties. STEMOVATE is a partnership between the UT-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute, the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, UT-Battelle and Tennessee 4-H.
STEMOVATE is targeted toward sixth graders. These free STEM lessons align with Tennessee’s academic standards. The program was launched during the 2025-26 school year in 22 counties, reaching approximately 6,000 sixth graders.
Participating counties for the 2026-27 school year are: Anderson, Bedford, Bradley, Cannon, Carroll, Chester, Claiborne, Cocke, Coffee, Crockett, Cumberland, DeKalb, Decatur, Dyer, Fentress, Franklin, Gibson, Grainger, Grundy, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardeman, Hawkins, Henderson, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Johnson, Knox, Lawrence, Loudon, Madison, Marion, Maury, McNairy, Meigs, Montgomery, Morgan, Obion, Overton, Perry, Pickett, Putnam, Rhea, Scott, Sevier, Shelby, Smith, Tipton, Union, Van Buren, Warren, Wayne, White and Wilson.
Additional STEMOVATE training sessions are planned for November for Tennessee educators and 4-H agents interested in bringing the program to their counties. Those interested in participating or learning more can contact Bridget Waller at bwaller5@tennessee.edu or visit utorii.com/STEMOVATE.
Read more about the expansion and training on the UT System website.
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.