Cheatham schools awarded $20,000 in A.O. Smith–Chamber education grants

The Cheatham County School District has received $20,000 in education grants for the 2025–2026 school year through a partnership between A.O. Smith and the Cheatham County Chamber of Commerce.

Sixteen educators across the district were awarded funding through the Chamber of Commerce following a competitive application process this fall. More than $6,000 of the grant total is going to South Cheatham schools, including Harpeth High School, Harpeth Middle School and Pegram Elementary Fine Arts Magnet School.

This year’s recipients include:

• Harpeth High School: Keri Cross and Carolyn Stuart
• Harpeth Middle School: Karen Carlton
• Pegram Elementary Fine Arts Magnet School: Baylee Gawrys and Audra Finch

HHS teacher Keri Cross received $1,500 for a student-led inclusion and advocacy conference scheduled for March 18, 2026. The event will gather more than 400 students for breakout sessions with guests from Special Olympics Tennessee, disability advocates, mental-health professionals and career field specialists.

“Our goal is to empower all students — both in general education and special education — to become strong advocates for themselves and for others,” Cross said. “We’re incredibly grateful for this grant, as it allows us to create an inclusive, impactful experience for our entire school community.”

HHS teacher Carolyn Stuart was awarded a $1,500 grant to purchase gel electrophoresis kits and a sickle cell MiniLab to support hands-on genetics instruction.

“The Sickle Cell MiniLab allows students to pour, load, and run a gel … and analyze the results to determine whether various members of one family have sickle cell disease, are carriers or are unaffected,” Stuart said. “The entire lab can be completed in a single classroom period.”

Audra Finch at Pegram Elementary Fine Arts Magnet School received $825 for a hydroponics project that integrates science, health and history.

“By building and maintaining a hydroponic system, students will gain practical skills, deepen their understanding of ecosystems and nutrition, and make meaningful connections between food production and historical and modern challenges,” Finch said.

PEFAMS teacher Baylee Gawrys was awarded $1,200 for a schoolwide sponge-painting art initiative that will allow students to create canvas works for display around campus.

“This project encourages self-expression, builds confidence, and helps students take pride in their work by creating something tangible and lasting,” Gawrys said.

Harpeth Middle School Librarian Karen Carlton also received a grant for $1,300 to complete a project with students called "Let's Get Graphic!"

The goal of the project is to introduce middle school students to the skills of a graphic author and tie that knowledge into a history project," Carlton said. "Students will develop the front page of a newspaper in a graphic format that depicts a battle from a war they have discussed in the classroom. For fifth graders, this would be World War I, and for eighth graders, it would be the Civil War."

Carlton emphasized that the importance of the project "is to allow students to see a historical battle through another lens ... that would not otherwise be afforded to them in the classroom."

The district said it is grateful for A.O. Smith’s continued support of Cheatham County educators and for the Chamber of Commerce's role in administering the grants.