Big energy efficiency improvements are coming to Johnson Learning Center after students and staff worked on a plan that won a $210,000 grant from the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Johnson was one of just 10 schools in TVA’s seven-state service area to win the largest grant in the School Uplift program, which provides not only financial awards but also training to help schools reduce costs while improving the quality of their learning environments.
“Our mission here is to dream big,” Johnson Principal Myron Franklin said during an event at the school Friday morning. “Johnson has had an awesome year, and what better way to round that year off than with a TVA grant?”
The improvements at Johnson will include new windows, LED lighting, and a better air conditioning unit.
“Your investment in our building is truly an investment for the students who walk through these doors every day,” Johnson 10th grader Je’Meriyah Meneese said. “This grant means so much to our school community. It represents hope, growth, and new opportunities.”
Leaders from TVA and Nashville Electric Service also spoke at the event, praising Johnson for its forward-thinking proposal. TVA’s Scott Brooks said the changes should cut the school’s energy bills by 10 percent.
Six other MNPS schools each received a $10,000 School Uplift grant: Cumberland Elementary, Hillsboro High, J.E. Moss Elementary, Oliver Middle, Overton High, and Smith Springs Elementary.
“Thank you to our partners at TVA and NES for supporting energy efficiency and giving our schools a chance to win these grants for their innovation and their commitment to the environment,” Chief of Academics and Schools Dr. Renita Perry said.
