When Judy Grandey first visited a STEM-certified school district in 2017, she saw the power of STEM education firsthand. “I watched the light switch turn on with those children,” she said. “I was so inspired.”
That experience shaped her vision for what education could become in Middlesboro Independent Schools. “When you think about a small town in rural Kentucky, STEM isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But why not? I wanted our district to be a beacon of what STEM education should look like,” she said.
After teaching in Middlesboro for 30 years, Grandey left in 2015 to teach at a private school. She also joined a national K–12 STEM certification organization. “I served on the STEM certification team and visited schools, so I saw the value of STEM education,” she said.
When Grandey returned to Middlesboro Independent Schools in 2021 as an educational mentor for new teachers, she began working with a team of administrators and educators to expand STEM opportunities throughout the district.
“We had a strong, motivated team determined to make Middlesboro Independent Schools an educational beacon for our area, our state, and our nation,” she said. “We were very fortunate to have Middlesboro High School alumnus, class of 1973, John Shoffner initially partner with our schools and serve as an integral resource and benefactor. He helped initiate our STEM journey and provided early partnerships with MIT, Houston Space Center, and NASA. Mr. Shoffner was the pilot for the Ax-2 Space X Dragon in their 2023 mission to the International Space Station. He provided educational events and opportunities for our students and wanted to share his experience and learning with students as well as educators.”
Building on that momentum, Middlesboro Independent Schools began developing its own STEM program.
“Our arts program is very involved, so we call it STEAM in our district. We first set our STEAM programming and classes in motion at the middle school,” said Grandey. “Our Board of Education’s desire for our schools was to become nationally STEM-certified from kindergarten through 12th grade.”
While researching certification programs, they found the National Institute for STEM Education (NISE).
“Even though I’d previously worked with another STEM certification entity, when I started looking at NISE, I really liked its approach — especially that it required teacher certification along with the campus certification, ” she said. “I also liked that NISE provided a STEM coach to support us throughout the process, which was different from any other national certification program we reviewed. The more I learned, the more confident I became that NISE was the route we should choose.”
The district launched its partnership with NISE at Middlesboro Middle School in fall 2024, and the school earned the National Certificate for STEM Excellence (NCSE)–Campus Certificate in June 2025. Middlesboro Elementary followed the next school year, earning the NCSE in June 2026. Middlesboro High School will begin working toward certification during the 2026-27 school year.
At the elementary and middle schools, several teachers representing language arts, math, science, social studies, and special education have earned the National Certificate for STEM Teaching (NCST).
“We have representation across content areas and grade levels,” said Grandey. “The STEM-certified teachers then share their expertise in grade-level or content area professional learning communities (PLCs).”
Working together, district leaders and the STEM coordinator, staff, and leaders at each school developed a STEAM Action Plan as part of the NCSE–Campus certification process. “That plan guides instruction throughout the building and touches every aspect of education,” said Grandey.
For Grandey, the STEAM Action Plan is just one example of how NISE focuses on creating lasting change rather than simply awarding a certification.
“Having gone through the STEM certification process with NISE and having served on the STEM certification team for another organization, there’s no comparison,” she said. “With NISE, you’re not just turning in a narrative to get a stamp. You’re creating a plan that’s sustainable. Ultimately, that’s going to be more effective if you truly want to become a STEM district. I can’t say enough about the NISE staff, their professionalism, and the support they have provided through this journey. The people we’ve worked with have been top-notch.”
To earn the NCST, each teacher builds a digital portfolio demonstrating mastery of 15 STEM Teacher Actions that are essential for effective STEM teaching. Throughout the process, teachers have access to support from a virtual STEM coach.
“Teachers appreciated the support they received from their NISE coach,” said Grandey. “They were inspired to incorporate what they learned into their day-to-day lessons.”
Grandey believes that the NCST program changed teachers’ perceptions of STEAM instruction.
“There’s a common misconception that STEAM has to result in some elaborate final project made of popsicle sticks and glue,” she said. “Teachers now realize it’s the things they do day to day that create the foundation for STEAM learning.”
As teachers’ understanding has grown, so has their confidence. “Teachers feel more confident sharing ideas for STEAM learning, and they’re not afraid to try new things,” she said.
The district has seen significant changes as a result of its work with NISE.
“STEAM is now integrated into every subject area,” said Grandey. “We added a STEAM section to our weekly lesson planner, and STEAM is a cornerstone of our PLCs.”
During her weekly school visits, Grandey has noticed a transformation in classrooms.
“I see students up and actively involved in their learning instead of sitting and being passive participants. Anytime students can engage in hands-on learning, they enjoy it more and get more out of it,” she said. “I see teachers excited about teaching and students excited about learning.”
Teachers also discovered that STEAM doesn’t have to be complicated.
“Teachers realized it wasn’t hard to bring STEAM into their instruction,” she said. “They also saw how much more students understood after participating in the hands-on learning.
The results of those instructional changes are beginning to show up in student performance.
“We didn’t just go through the motions to get a STEM certification. This is who we are now. This is what we do day-to-day,” said Grandey. “As a result, we have seen significant growth on the benchmark tests we’ve done in each building.”
Grandey has one piece of advice for districts and schools considering STEM certification.
“I highly recommend they visit a STEM-certified school,” she said. “I’m hoping that when people visit Middlesboro, they leave inspired and go back to their district saying, ‘This is what we desire for our students.’ When you see good STEAM education happening, it’s very inspirational.”
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