STEM classroom to foster exploration and hands-on learning at Tennessee Aquarium’s S.T.R.E.A.M. Learning Center

Chattanooga, Tenn. (Nov. 24, 2025) – The Tennessee Aquarium’s new hub of education, the S.T.R.E.A.M. Learning Center, supported by Unum, houses three flexible classroom spaces, including a special STEM Classroom, supported by the American Water Charitable Foundation & Tennessee American Water.

The generous donation was awarded through the American Water Charitable Foundation’s Workforce Readiness and STEM Education Grant Programs – a part of a larger program called Keep Communities Flowing.

These grants focus on three pillars of giving: Water, People, and Communities.

“We’re proud to support the Tennessee Aquarium’s new learning center through the American Water Charitable Foundation,” said Grant Evitts, president of Tennessee American Water. “This STEM lab will spark curiosity, inspire future scientists, and strengthen educational opportunities for our community.”

The STEM Classroom meets these community and educational needs by providing an experiential learning space for visiting students, teachers, and campers. The activities and workshops that will take place in this classroom aim to fuel passion in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. From hands-on learning with preserved fish found in the Tennessee River to identifying the ocean life on the floor-to-ceiling graphic mural, the classroom is an inviting space for the next generation to be invested in nature.

The dynamic and multifunctional STEM Classroom is at the heart of both the Aquarium’s and the American Water Charitable Foundation’s goals to provide educational programming about water, wildlife, and people’s interaction with them. Learning in this space will impact the community today and into the future.