Station Camp High School's Bison Dynamics Robotics Team has earned a $5,000 TVA STEM Robotics Award, The Gallatin News reported.

The award will fund the Gallatin school's robotics program, which competes under the Bison Dynamics name. Station Camp, part of Sumner County Schools, serves 1,137 students in grades 9 through 12.

School staff said the money will give students more opportunities to design, build, compete and develop skills in engineering, technology, teamwork and problem-solving.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) runs a robotics award program with Bicentennial Volunteers, Inc. (BVI), a TVA retiree organization. The program is in its second year. Schools and nonprofits that receive electricity from a TVA-served local power company were eligible to apply.

TVA and BVI announced $700,000 in robotics funding in August, distributing grants to 187 schools and nonprofit organizations across TVA's seven-state service area. A total of 7,431 students were expected to benefit. Station Camp's award appears to fall under that program. Recipients can use the funds to start a new robotics program or strengthen an existing one.

TVA Interim President and CEO Mike Skaggs said in August, when the funding round was announced, that TVA and BVI are focused on "preparing today's students to become tomorrow's skilled, confident workforce."

Robotics has a growing footprint in Sumner County. The district hosted the state-level VEX IQ Robotics Competition for the third straight year on Saturday, Feb. 28, drawing about 300 student competitors and more than 800 visitors. Hendersonville High School Robotics Coach Jeff Wilkins said in March that robotics prepares students for the workforce by teaching teamwork, documentation, communication and problem-solving under real constraints.