News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Overton County has received a $50,000 three-star grant to support the expansion of career technology at Livingston Academy.
Livingston/Overton County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Shannon Cantrell said the money will assist as the Overton County School System builds out the new CTE Building. It will fund equipment, software, research tools, interactive workshops and other projects.
“They are creating for a microlab for students in 6th to 8th grade,” Cantrell said. “So this program is being tailored specifically for this age group. It is aimed at equipping them with the essential skills they need to be work ready.”
Cantrell said she is particularly excited that school focuses on equipping students interested in business development and marketing. She called it “very much needed in our communities.”
“I’m super impressed with what the business and marketing teachers are doing with their students,” Cantrell said. “I mean, they have a vinyl shop and they’re making LA stickers and Wildcat stickers, and there was somebody who even started making rugs last year in the program. And the metal shop is making different types of signs for people. I think they’ve got a food truck coming over there to demonstrate some things to these students. So teaching them these skills on how to start up a business, I think it’s a phenomenal thing for them to be doing and I’m super excited be able to help.”
The Three-Star program is a state initiative designed to assist communities in preparing for the future. Cantrell said not every city or county is a three-star designee, but the ones that are can apply for the grant through the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.
“This particular program serves to promote economic and community prosperity through collaboration to positively impact everybody in the state of Tennessee and most every community,” Cantrell said.
Communities must define three specific goals when they apply for grant money with one being specifically in the education realm. Cantrell said Overton County’s other two goals will focus on workforce and agriculture. Cantrell said the idea is to make it easier for potential employees living in Overton County to see jobs available at home.
“We are going to partner with TCAT and they’re going to help us design a job board to put on our website,” Cantrell said. “And we’re wanting it to be like a very interactive job board so that people can go in and put their resume and then obviously employers will have their own portal as well so they can go look and pull these resumes.”
The agricultural component will focus on growing the presence of the county Farmers Market.
