Program offers inspiration for young innovators
A new program being pioneered in first grade at Blue Grass Elementary School offers STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) classes with real tools and hands-on learning.
Lori Moss
Lori Moss, STEM Instructor K–5 at Blue Grass, introduced her students to the program this spring. The very first unit, “Hammers,” sparked an immediate reaction, she said.
“When they had an opportunity to use a hammer, they were beside themselves. Some of these first graders had never even held a hammer. They designed their own hammers, learned about the history of tools and couldn’t wait to do the next lesson.”
Beyond the joy of making and building, Moss says the program helps kids practice “super skills” – habits like teamwork, curiosity and striving to “be the best you can be” – skills they can carry with them anywhere. “It’s not just something they’ll use in school,” Moss said. “It’s something they’ll use at home, in sports, in their community – and it even opens their eyes to careers they might not have thought about before.”
Called We WILL Build It Better (WWBIB), the program was developed in 2024. It is paired with a middle school curriculum, We Build It Better, now taught in over 1,000 classrooms across 20 U.S. states and in two European countries.
This fall, Moss has expanded WWBIB to more grade levels at Blue Grass Elementary.
“We see excitement for the simple things, like holding a tool, and that excitement opens the door to big ideas,” Moss said. “It’s a reminder that hands-on learning can make abstract concepts concrete and show kids real opportunities for their futures.”
The WWBIB team will host a preview for education, industry and community leaders on Monday and Tuesday, October 20-21. Get times and location when you pre-register for the event here .
Whitney Christopher, director of accounts for Hummingbird Ideas, contributed information and quotes for this report.
Retired entrepreneur David Coffey presents a $10,000 gift to Renee Branham, principal of Norris Elementary School, at the recent Anderson County school board meeting.
Coffey gifts $10K to Anderson County principal
David Coffey has given another $10,000 – this time to Renee Branham, principal of Norris Elementary School. (Our previous story about his similar gift to South Knoxville Elementary principal Dr. Tanna Nicely is here.)
Coffey made some money by being smart and taking risks. He likes to reward educators, especially principals, with similar skills. This recognition highlights her dedication to academic excellence – especially in helping Norris Elementary achieve high proficiency in third-grade reading among economically disadvantaged students.
“Reading comes first. We all know early reading is a key to getting a good education,” Coffey said.
Pity the Knox County school board
With governments at all levels taking a top-down approach, pity the lowly school board. Like the kids’ song, they must feel like “the cheese stands alone.”
The county commission used to be the boogeyman, micromanaging the BOE’s budget and putting the superintendent and staff through painful “education committee” inquisitions. But the BOE went to court and won budgetary autonomy.
The state legislature is the biggest irritant now, forcing down mandates on bathrooms and library books in addition to the usual excessive testing and limited funding concerns. And now they’re starting to fund vouchers for private schools with virtually no oversight. This won’t end well.
The federal Department of Education (DOE) is trying to abolish itself, even as it attempts to enforce Congressional mandates on books, gender, special education, DEI and more. Next thing they’ll do is tell colleges to name a street after Charlie Kirk. Oh, wait!
All that to say, school board meetings simply aren’t fun anymore.
Kat Bike, District 4 board member, writes an interesting blog after each meeting. Bike said that the $1 million or so that was requested to remodel the UT Tower (formerly the TVA Building where KCS is now housed) was delayed. Delay on this is good. The board was manipulated into renting space instead of owning, again. Let the landlord fix the building.
Bike says “pedestrian projects” are coming for Fulton High and Gibbs Elementary. We know a long-awaited pedestrian bridge over Tazewell Pike will connect Gibbs High and the campuses of Gibbs middle and elementary schools. Not sure what’s happening at Fulton.
And the BOE has scheduled a two-day workshop (which replaced the former overnight Gatlinburg retreat) at Bridgewater Place in Knoxville for Thursday and Friday, October 16-17. The full agendas are available on the Board of Education page of the Knox County Schools website.
In Memoriam: UT professor was adult education specialist
Roger Haskell
Roger William Haskell Ph.D. has died at age 92. He and his wife, the late Sylvia Haskell, had lived in Lenoir City since 1972. His full obituary is here.
Dr. Haskell earned a bachelor’s degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, and completed his master’s and doctorate at Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana. He served in the U.S. Army from 1962-64.
He spent 24 years with the Technological and Adult Education Department at the University of Tennessee; he also was coordinator of industrial education. He was granted professor emeritus status and retired in 1998.
Dr. Haskell traveled with others from the university to more than 18 countries, examining their workforce training schemes; he authored publications on their findings. He also assisted the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers as well as the Plumbers and Pipefitters Union in expanding their educational and training capabilities.
Notes & Quotes
The University of Tennessee Southern has launched the NOVA Entrepreneur Center, expanding the university’s leadership in creating opportunity for Southern Middle Tennessee. Housed at Makeshift on the Square in downtown Pulaski, the center connects students and community entrepreneurs with the resources, mentorship and networks needed to turn ideas into action and fuel regional growth.
Take your little goblins (or your granny) downtown during October for a blitz of Halloween excitement. For instance, here are 17 events compiled by Downtown Knoxville that are sure to please.
Young Creative Writer’s Workshop is set for Saturday, October 25, 2025, at the Strawberry Plains campus of Pellissippi State Community College, 7201 Strawberry Plains Pike, Knoxville. It’s free with breakfast snack and lunch; great instructors and plenty of hands-on creative opportunities. Info and registration here.
Quote: “How important are the visual arts in our society? I feel strongly that the visual arts are of vast and incalculable importance. Of course I could be prejudiced. I am a visual art.” – Kermit the Frog, from the Muppets
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