Board approves $10,000 Tennessee 250 grant for student-written play about 1920s local strike

The Elizabethton Board of Education voted to approve a $10,000 grant contract with the Tennessee State Museum, part of the Tennessee/America 250 initiative, to support a student-driven project to research and stage a play about a 1920s labor strike led by women of Carter County.

Mr. Hensley, who told the board he will manage the grant, said the award will fund props, costumes and small stipends for teachers working outside regular hours. The project timeline, as described in the meeting, calls for research and playwriting during the 26-27 school year fall semester and a performance in the spring semester that will be filmed and made available online.

"Students will do all of the work," Mr. Hensley said, describing plans to collaborate with partners such as East Tennessee State University’s Archives of Appalachia to access primary sources and historical footage. Board members asked where performances would be staged; Mr. Hensley said the venue was to be determined and would depend on weather and facility availability.

The board approved the grant by voice vote; those present signaled “aye” and no opposition was recorded on the transcript. The motion text recorded in the meeting was to approve the grant contract between the state of Tennessee, the Tennessee State Museum and Elizabethton City Schools. The transcript did not name the motion mover or seconder.

Administrators said the grant supports curricular work: students will research local labor history, write the script and perform. The award is part of a broader Tennessee 250 effort to support public programming that highlights Tennessee history and culture.

After the approval the board recessed for a brief period and moved to an immediately following budget workshop.

Action recorded: approval of the $10,000 Tennessee 250 grant contract (voice vote, no opposition recorded).