SMYRNA, Tenn. — Bridget Cole, a physical science teacher at Stewart’s Creek Middle School, has been selected for the Cumberland River Compact’s new Teacher Fellowship cohort, a yearlong program that supports educators advancing water education and career awareness in Tennessee classrooms. Over the next year, Cole will collaborate with teachers statewide while implementing innovative, water-focused projects at Stewart’s Creek Middle.

“I want students to learn and understand the importance of water in their lives,” Cole said. “The purpose is to bring awareness to water—to make our students interested and aware of careers that involve water.”

The Compact’s Teacher Fellowship provides funding for classroom project implementation and connects educators through virtual gatherings during the school year. Fellows develop and share strategies for integrating environmental and watershed education into core instruction, helping students explore real-world applications and pathways to water- and environment-related careers.

Cole’s participation will bring hands-on activities and local water stewardship themes into the physical science curriculum at Stewart’s Creek Middle, reinforcing STEM learning while highlighting opportunities across fields such as water quality testing, environmental engineering, conservation, and public works.

Learn more about the Cumberland River Compact Teacher Fellowship at: https://cumberlandrivercompact.org/teacher-fellowship/