Dooly County Schools Looks to Drive Literacy Forward with Mobile STEM Bus


By Kylie Garrard

Dooly County School System is taking an innovative approach to support literacy by bringing their STEM bus directly into the community. This initiative is part of a broader district-wide goal to improve literacy rates and create a culture of reading both in and out of the classroom. Improving literacy is one of the top priorities for Dooly County Schools.

The district recognizes that strong reading skills are fundamental to success in all academic areas and future careers. The mobile STEM bus initiative was a creative way to engage students and families in literacy activities beyond the school walls that are tied to hands-on learning.

The district participated in a series of engaging events throughout the summer, aiming to make reading fun and bridge the gap between school and home. By bringing books and learning resources directly to neighborhoods, the school system hopes to increase access to reading materials and foster a love of learning in all students.

Three major events were scheduled this summer to promote literacy and STEM education.

  • The Book Bash event in May kicked off the initiative with interactive reading activities, storytelling sessions, and opportunities for students to select books to take home.
  • The STEM bus was stocked with a variety of age-appropriate books and literacy resources that were directly tied to STEM challenges that students could participate in. In July the STEM bus returned for a set of Summer fun events that included visits to the Recreation Department and Jewell Bowen Park. These two events aimed at keeping students reading and learning during the summer break.
  • As the new school year approached, the district visited several Saturday STEM events around the community and shared STEM demonstrations, games, books and school supplies to prepare students for the new school year.
About the Author
Kylie Garrard serves as Dooly County K8 Academy’s STEM advisor and co-chair of the STEM/STEAM Committee. Each year, this committee puts on a full-day STEM event for the entire school. The school is shut down for an entire day and filled with STEM stations for the students to rotate through. Garrard is responsible for gathering the materials and setting up the stations to make sure that it is a great experience for all the students.