RAVENSWOOD, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Titanium Metals Corporation (TIMET), a subsidiary of Precision Castparts Corp. (PCC), has partnered with Roane-Jackson Technical Center (RJTC) to launch a new K–1 STEM curriculum aligned with manufacturing and STEM career goals for Roane and Jackson counties for the 2025–2026 school year.
Starting in Fall 2024, TIMET began working with Ms. Melissa Layhew and her students in RJTC’s Early Childhood Learning class. Together, they created a STEM-based curriculum featuring three lesson plans designed to introduce kindergarten and first-grade students to key concepts in manufacturing, photosynthesis, and aerospace—core areas connected to TIMET’s operations.
“We wanted to develop a STEM curriculum for Roane and Jackson counties that begins introducing students to TIMET and what we do here in the community,” said Aaron Valentine, Director of Operations for TIMET. “The goal is that by the time these students reach middle school, working at TIMET is a viable option. To do that, we need to start educating them now about our work and how our products support the aerospace industry. This project has been a great opportunity for RJTC’s aspiring educators to help us tell that story.”
In the fall semester, TIMET representatives visited RJTC to provide students with insight into company operations. From there, the students were challenged with developing age-appropriate lesson plans for K–1 classrooms that reflect the manufacturing process. The resulting curriculum includes three core areas:
- General Manufacturing – Lessons focus on teamwork and problem-solving through interactive building activities.
- Photosynthesis and Solar Energy – TIMET’s facility will be powered by solar panels, and this section helps students explore the sun’s energy and how it powers everyday items.
- Aerospace – As TIMET’s key market, aerospace serves as a foundation for STEM concepts like flight, engineering, and materials science.
“Early STEM exposure lays a strong foundation for future learning and career opportunities, helping students see how science, technology, engineering, and math are interconnected and relevant to their everyday lives,” said Melissa Layhew, ECCAT and GYO Instructor/Educators Rising Advisor at Roane-Jackson Technical Center. “Through this project, we’re reaching hundreds of kindergarten and first-grade students, while also giving our high school students—who are exploring careers in education—valuable hands-on teaching experience.”
The RJTC students developed a complete curriculum packet including worksheets and STEM activity plans with supplemental exercises. Today at Ripley Elementary School, they piloted their lessons with 160 kindergarten and first-grade students at the Early Education Center. Activities include building a solar-powered oven to make s’mores, designing balloon-propelled cars, and creating solar balloons to demonstrate concepts of heat and lift.
“The most valuable lesson my students gained from developing this curriculum was the experience itself,” said Layhew. “They collaborated as future educators and engaged directly with industry experts at TIMET—having the unique opportunity to sit at the table in a boardroom where their voices were truly heard. Being part of the curriculum launch and witnessing the reactions of kindergarteners and first graders is something they’ll carry with them, and I believe it will shape the way they approach their own classrooms in the future.”
TIMET will cover all costs associated with printing and distributing the curriculum packets to every elementary school in Jackson and Roane Counties by August, in time for the upcoming school year.
“We’re excited to kick off the new school year with curriculum and activities that connect students to real STEM careers available in their own community,” said Hannah Hesson, HR Manager at TIMET. “We hope this is just the beginning and look forward to expanding the program to additional elementary grade levels in the future with RJTC’s help.”
