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Rotary clubs donate inflatable planetarium to Sumner County Schools for countywide STEM use
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Becker and STEM coordinator Kara Wade described a newly acquired inflatable planetarium, funded by Hendersonville and other Sumner County Rotary clubs, and said the mobile dome will be booked across the district for science modules.
SUMNER COUNTY, Tenn. — Sumner County Schools on April 8 announced the addition of an inflatable planetarium purchased with the support of Hendersonville and other Sumner County Rotary clubs, a portable dome staff said will bring planetarium experiences to elementary classrooms across the county.
Superintendent Dr. Becker introduced Kara Wade, the district STEM coordinator, and thanked the Hendersonville Rotary Club and other county clubs for funding the purchase. Dr. Becker said the inflatable planetarium “took about 2 hours to book up for the rest of the year” after a principals’ presentation and that the dome will be distributed equitably across schools.
Kara Wade described her prior work with planetarium programs and explained that an inflatable dome allows a single planetarium to serve many schools rather than being housed at one site. Dr. Becker highlighted the device’s classroom value for a recently completed space module in the district’s curriculum and praised the Rotary clubs’ long partnership with the district (noting prior support such as third‑grade dictionaries and other contributions).
District staff said the dome has the potential for additional content modules and predicted strong student engagement; booking is being handled centrally to ensure equitable countywide access. The district thanked the Rotary clubs publicly but did not present a formal purchase contract or vote during the study session.
