Tennessee American Water is the recipient of the 2022 Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce Business Education Investor Award. The award recognizes a business for its partnerships with local schools to help build a talent pipeline in the Chattanooga community and is part of the Chamber’s Community Engagement recognition program for different businesses and non-profits.
Tennessee American Water student outreach spans kindergarten through college, with hands-on activities to inspire students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Creative programming focuses on water, from its natural source to the drinking water treatment process.
“In addition to providing safe, clean, reliable water, being involved in the community is an important aspect of what Tennessee American Water does,” said Grant Evitts, president of Tennessee American Water. “This award is due to our employees who have shared their time with students and opened up a world of career possibilities. Our employees are passionate about working with young people in our community, to help each reach their potential.”
Tennessee American Water has partnered with Chattanooga State and the Hamilton County Department of Education for over 10 years with the popular Elementary Science Olympiad. In 2019, the company launched an inaugural Olympiad in Marion County. Employee volunteers have participated in various outreach at schools or at the Chattanooga water treatment plant, including career panels, experiments such as build-your-own water filter, and mentoring programs. Tennessee American Water also partners with the Tennessee Aquarium on educational outreach programs directly to schools, libraries and other venues. Most recently, Tennessee American Water supported the Tennessee Aquarium’s Science Streams video series which can be accessed from the company’s website www.tennesseeamwater.com.The videos were developed specifically for teachers and students and are aligned with Tennessee Science and Next Generation Science standards.
