Teacher-Company Partnerships (TCP)
The STEM Education: Teacher-Company Partnerships in NE TN Project is a year-long program led by ETSU’s Center of Excellence in STEM Education (CESE) and the Northeast TN STEM Innovation Hub. Since 2023, the program has provided a vehicle for local employers to meaningfully give back to and connect with schools, to increase the opportunities for schools to build relationships with employers, and to share real-life applications of students’ school-based learning in the contexts of the employers and creators based in this region.
Thanks to Chris Bowen and Laura Robertson for their input on initial design of the program.
Crenlo works with Greeneville Middle School students
Clinch school shares collab with Cooper Standard
Gray School students use flying simulator at NeSCC
Teams plan for collaborations
Teams brainstorm and network
Microporus chats with Brandi from Johnson City Schools
SSES and TVA collaboration
Final slide share from Anesi and Chris Hatcher at Unicoi MIddle
Brightridge brainstorms with teachers
Cam Industrial enage Kingsport middle school students in pipe experience
"Thank you for the opportunity to participate in the TCP project. It was incredibly valuable for both me and my students. I hope the program continues to grow, and I encourage even more hands-on collaboration and long-term connections between educators and industry partners. Programs like this are essential for helping students see the real-world relevance of their learning and for preparing them to make informed choices about their futures."
- Educator TCP participant
Stellar Collab Examples
Lake Ridge Middle School & Appalachian Environmental Resources
Video created by Lake Ridge Middle School about their partnership with AER in our 2025-2026 cohort.
- Thanks to Rees Burt & team with Appalachian Environmental Resources.
- Ryan Glenn, STEAM Teacher, Lake Ridge Middle School.
TN Middle School & Robinette Company
Documentary! from 2023-2024 team
- Thanks to Carolyn Ferrel and team at the Robinette Company, and
- Catherine Lamie, STEM Teacher, Tennessee Middle School
Link to Video
Sulphur Springs Elementary School & TVA: 2024-2025
- Full school, year-long STEM and PBL project focused on charging stations for electric vehicles
- TVA and Sulphur Springs Elementary School
- Multi-year relationship
Purpose
- Forge meaningful collaborations across schools and employers
- Increase student awareness of
- local job opportunities across STEM fields
- what STEM careers are possible
- Engage students in applied learning projects connected to real company challenges
- Program description 2026-2027
Impact
Takeaways
- Teachers and employers viewed experiences positively
- Student impact data included
- Sign up today
Structure
Kickoff Dinner Meeting
- Fall kickoff dinner meeting in person, at NeSCC's TEC Building, September
- Teams meet, eat dinner, plan for the individualized collaboration
- Attendees share across sectors and teams, ideas to bolster the project
Collaborate
- Between Sep-May, teams collaborate in at least 2 ways
- Methods of collaboration are decided by the teams in ways that best meet their goals, resources, students
Share out
- Register and attend in person the Spring NE TN STEM Innovation Hub regional meeting
- Be prepared to share out briefly what happened, how it went, what would be changed next time, and any outcomes of note
- Give feedback to the TCP team
Resources
Partners: 2025-2026 Cohort
Teacher Partners
- Brennan Allen & Rachel Jarrett, West View Elementary, Washington County Schools, with ETSU's ESports
- Alisha Anderson, Cocke County Innovation Center, (Newport) Cocke County Schools, with Tennova
- Julie Ferguson, Sullivan Heights Middle School, Sullivan County Schools, with Kingsport Chamber of Commerce
- Gracie Fuller, Volunteer High School, Hawkins County Schools, with Sean Fox at ETSU Public Health
- Ryan Glenn, Lake Ridge Elementary School, Johnson City Schools, with Appalachian Environmental Resources, Inc.
- Chris Hatcher, Unicoi County Middle, Unicoi County Schools, with National Fish and Wildlife's Erwin Fish Hatchery
- Nikki Jenkins, Valley Forge Elementary School, Carter County Schools with TCAT Elizabethton
- Catherine Lamie, Tennessee Middle School, Bristol Tennessee City Schools, with BTES
- Christie Lewis, Gray School, Washington County Schools, with Northeast State Community College
- Elizabeth Luttrell, Towne Acres Elementary, Johnson City Schools, with BWXT/NFS
- Neeta Mehrotra, University School, Washington County Schools, with Siemens
- Kirsten Murray, Fall Branch School, Washington County Schools, with Bays Mountain
- Diana O'Neal & Spicey Pate, Sulphur Springs Elementary, Washington County Schools, with TVA
- Heather Shelton, Grandview Elementary School, Washington County Schools, with ETSU Sports Science
- Annette True, John Sevier Middle School, with Create Appalachia
- Donna Widner, Lamar Elementary, Washington County Schools, with Brightridge
- Kristy Williamson-Jackson, John Sevier Middle School, with Edward Jones
Employer Partners
- College of Public Health, Department of Biomedical Health Sciences
Partners: 2024-2025 Cohort
Teacher Partners
- Diana O'Neal & Spicey Pate, Sulphur Springs Elementary, Washington County Schools, with TVA
- Catherine Lamie, Tennessee Middle School, Bristol Tennessee City Schools, with BTES
- Kirsten Murray, Fall Branch School, Washington County Schools, with Streamworks
- Annette True, John Sevier Middle School, with CAM Industrial Solutions
- Sarah Benson, Tusculum View Elementary, Greeneville City Schools, with Streamworks
- Chris Hatcher, Unicoi County Middle, Unicoi County Schools, with Stone Mt Technologies
- Rachel Perry, Boones Creek Elementary, Washington County Schools, with Create Appalachia
- Brandie Sanchez, Indian Trail Middle, Johnson City Schools, with Microporous (and others)
- Brennan Allen & Rachel Jarrett, West View Elementary, Washington County Schools, with Bell Helicopter
- Neeta Mehrotra, University School, Washington County Schools, with Siemens
- Heather Shelton, Grandview Elementary School, Washington County Schools, with ETSU Sports Science
- Christie Lewis, Gray School, Washington County Schools, with Northeast State Community College
- Elizabeth Luttrell, Towne Acres Elementary, Johnson City Schools, with Brightridge
- Alisha Anderson, Cocke County Innovation Center, (Newport) Cocke County Schools, with Tennova
- Suzanne Minga, Sullivan Gardens Elementary, Sullivan County Schools, with Erwin Fish Hatchery
Employer Partners
Partners: 2023-2024 Cohort
Schools
- Chuckey-Doak Middle, Greene County Schools
- Clinch School, Hawkins County
- Greeneville Middle School, Greeneville City Schools
- Indian Trail Middle School, Johnson City Schools
- Liberty Bell Middle School, Johnson City Schools
- Robinson Middle School, Kingsport City Schools
- Rogersville Middle School, Hawkins County
- Sevier Middle School, Kingsport City Schools
- Sulphur Springs Elementary School, Washington County Schools
- Tennessee Middle School, Bristol City Schools
- Unicoi County Middle School, Unicoi City Schools
- University School, Washington County Schools
School Systems
- Hawkins County
- Johnson City Schools
- Washington County Schools
- Kingsport City Schools
- Bristol City Schools
- Unicoi County Schools
- Greene County Schools
- Greeneville City Schools
Companies/Employers
