Postgrad prep – how CEF equips students for college, careers and life

Preparing students for life after graduation starts long before high school.

Across Collierville Schools, students are exploring future careers, developing real-world problem-solving skills and gaining hands-on learning experiences that help them envision what is possible for their futures. Through innovative classroom grants funded by the Collierville Education Foundation, educators are creating opportunities that connect learning to college readiness, workforce development and lifelong success.

As part of the district’s CS2030 Strategic Plan, teachers applying for CEF grants were asked to explain how their projects supported key district priorities related to college, career and life readiness. The applications revealed an inspiring trend: educators across every grade level are intentionally preparing students for the future in creative, engaging and meaningful ways.

From elementary biotechnology labs to middle school medical simulations and high school vocational training programs, these grants are helping students discover passions, build confidence and develop skills that extend far beyond the classroom.

Little Lenses, Big Discoveries: Empowering Future Biotechnologists

Fifth grade students at Bailey Station Elementary absolutely love Biotech Day – a practical training and  immersive learning experience. This event introduces students to the professional applications of biotechnology through fingerprinting, fossil digging and microscope investigations. CEF was honored to provide six new compound microscopes, glass slides and coverslips for microscope lessons, tarps for indoor fossil digs, and fingerprinting supplies such as sheets, cards and tape. These resources provide a high-quality, interactive STEM experience that supports the science curriculum, sparks curiosity and reinforces that science and discovery can be fun! These lessons lay the foundation for deeper STEM learning in middle and high school. By learning and gaining interest in the subject in elementary school, they are set up for academic success.

Inspiring Future Healers in STEM

At West Collierville Middle School, students in the STEM program are exploring how healthcare professionals diagnose diseases, how the human body responds to viral and bacterial infections, and how these illnesses are treated and prevented. Middle school is a critical stage of career exploration, and this program transforms the classroom into an authentic, interactive medical learning lab that directly connects scientific inquiry with practical healthcare applications.

Through the grant, students use professional medical tools such as stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, thermometers, pulse oximeters and reflex hammers. Classrooms transform into medical learning labs, allowing students to decode a patient’s vital signs and make informed guesses that lead toward diagnoses. Anatomical models – like the heart-pumping and human brain models with removable parts – enable students to explore the human body beyond diagrams. These resources help students understand complex organ systems and physiological processes, reinforcing the connection between anatomy, function and health.

These grant materials spark students' curiosity and passion for the medical field. The reality-based experiences help students build confidence, competence and a clear vision for their future in healthcare. But even for students who choose not to pursue medical professions, the lessons learned through these tools enable them to have more informed conversations with professionals about their own health, supporting their well-being into adulthood. 

Collierville High School Vocational Lab

The Collierville High School Vocational Lab serves as a bridge to local businesses and vocational programs, preparing students for internships, supported employment or further training. This strengthens the school-to-work pipeline and fosters community engagement.

By creating a dedicated space for vocational training, the district affirms its commitment to inclusive education. Specialized equipment that supports students with diverse abilities helps meaningfully equip every high schooler for life beyond school. With individualized goals and accommodations, the lab ensures that each student receives instruction aligned with their transition plans. Through their experience in the lab, students gain more confidence, practice independence and are primed for their future career experience. Setting them up with local businesses gives them real, professional connections they leverage once they graduate.

Community support directly impacts student futures and opportunities. If you would like to help support the college and career readiness of Collierville students, consider making a gift to our next grant cycle. 

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Grants like these are made possible through the generosity of our sponsors! A special thanks to our sponsors who contribute $5,000 or more annually.

President's Circle:

• BankTennessee

• IMC Logistics

• John Green & Company REALTORS^®

• Landers Ford – Kent Ritchey

• Orgill

• Town of Collierville

Benefactors:

• Boyle

• Crews Development

• Magnolia Homes

• Southern Security

Innovators:

• A-Team Roofing

• Choate’s

• Maximus Building Supply

• Patriot Bank

• Patriot Bank Mortgage

• Republic Roofing & Restoration

In Kind:

• Central Church

• Collierville Police Department

• Obsidian Public Relations