Brainerd High School has been awarded a $30,000 grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s Aeronautics Division for its Institute of Aviation – one of nearly two dozen Future Ready Institutes in Hamilton County Schools.
The grant funds will help buy the school aviation mechanics tool kits and pay for drone club memberships, travel to drone competitions and field trips to to Middle Tennessee State University and the Tennessee College of Applied Technology.
Brainerd’s Institute of Aviation incorporates career-technical education programs such as aviation flight, maintenance and repair with traditional curriculum. Students have access to flight simulators, drones and other equipment to enhance their learning, according to a news release.
The school was selected by TDOT’s Aviation Education and Outreach Program Selection Committee out of 21 applications to receive the grant.
Applications to Hamilton County’s Future Ready Institutes, including Brainerd’s aviation institute open on Friday, Feb. 1. For more information, visit: www.hcde.org/academics___support/the_future_ready_institutes.
Group plans library to honor late Normal Park teacher
After the death of Normal Park Museum Magnet teacher Bethany Schklar was announced this weekend, local activist group Moms for Social Justice announced a pledge to create a classroom library in her honor.
The group has already installed one classroom library at The Howard School and is raising funds for another library at Barger Academy of Fine Arts.
“With the goal of encouraging and promoting literacy throughout Hamilton County schools and homes, the Chattanooga Moms for Social Justice will fund, install, and stock diverse libraries in Hamilton County over the next year, with the primary focus being on Opportunity Zone schools,” according to the organization.
The group plans to install a library at Orchard Knob Elementary in honor of Schklar. It is collecting $2,000 toward the library.
“Many in our community knew and loved Bethany and this seemed a fitting tribute to an educator,” according to the organization’s donation page.
For more information or to donate to the Classroom Library Project, visit: momsforsocialjustice.us/the-classroom-library-project.
The Normal Park community also is raising donations for Schklar’s family. To donate, visit: www.gofundme.com/donations-for-mrs-schklar.
BASF donates to Chatt State basketball program
Chattanooga State Community College received a $2,000 donation from BASF last month to support the program and its student athletes.
The donation was announced during a Jan. 12 game against Cleveland State Community College.
Chattanooga State and BASF regularly team up on programs for both college students and youth in the community to help prepare them for future careers, according to a news release.
If you have news about local schools you’d like to be included in Class Notes, email Meghan Mangrum at mmangrum@timesfreepress.com.