This year, St. John Paul II Catholic High School was selected to win a $10,000 Learning Environment Grant through the TVA EnergyRight School Uplift program.

Tight budgets and aging buildings leave many schools facing a difficult decision between funding learning programs and making needed facility upgrades that can lower energy costs and improve health and comfort. TVA’s School Uplift program partnered with local power companies across seven states to help 121 public schools tackle energy waste this school year. 

School Uplift is a year-long energy management training program that helps schools make smart energy choices that improve the classroom learning environment and save money through decreased energy use.  

“School Uplift is another great example of TVA and Huntsville Utilities investing in our community,” said Tania Yee, development director, energy champion and Green Energy Team co-sponsor. “Catharine Scull, faculty and co-sponsor of the Green Energy Team, and I learned so much through this program about how to make our school more efficient and comfortable, and I’m proud of our staff and students whose efforts earned this grant. We plan on investing the grant money in a courtyard project upgrade that will improve our outdoor space, making it an even better place for all students to learn and thrive.”  

St. John Paul II joins over 440 schools to have completed School Uplift over the past five years, competing to earn grants for building upgrades and other learning environment improvements. On average, participating schools save nearly 10% on their annual energy bills from behavior changes alone. 

“Every dollar invested helps schools allocate resources to what truly matters – providing quality education for our children,” said Ray Knotts, senior director of TVA's Demand Management. "We’re proud of the winners of this year’s School Uplift grants, who are dedicated to reducing energy waste and building a stronger future.”

TVA EnergyRight and Huntsville Utilities are currently recruiting K-12 schools for the 2027-2028 school year. Visit https://energyright.com/business-industry/school-uplift/ to express interest in participating in this exciting program.