Norwood Middle School secured the People’s Choice Award as the team receiving the most online votes (5,445) in the Anderson County Chamber’s 2020-2021 “Dream It. Do It.” competition. Four Anderson County middle school teams, working with local businesses, created videos that received more than 14,000 online votes
Norwood Middle School was also the judges’ choice, earning first place and a $1,000 donation for classroom resources provided to teacher Robert Stephan by Consolidated Nuclear Security (CNS), the managing operator of the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas. Norris Middle School took second place, and teacher Ben Weaver received a $750 donation for leading the eighth-grade students. Clinton Middle School earned third place, and teacher Candus Claiborne received $500.
In 2021, “Dream it. Do it.” students created brochures highlighting job opportunities in local manufacturing. The student teams were paired with local businesses. Norwood Middle partnered with Clayton Homes Appalachia Division. Aisin Automotive, Eagle Bend Manufacturing, Protomet, SL Tennessee and Techmer PM partnered with Clinton, Lake City and Norris Middle Schools.
“We are absolutely thrilled with the results of our program,” said Anderson County Chamber President, Rick Meredith. “Our goal was to get kids excited about manufacturing and expose them to the idea that there are lots of job opportunities and even a career in manufacturing.”