Opened in 1990, The Tomato Head is committed to helping the community by supporting sustainable agriculture, giving to East Tennessee nonprofits, and recycling its packaging waste. The Muse Knoxville is passionate about involving the community as a partner in the programs and services they provide families, which includes teaching kids valuable gardening and agriculture concepts and skills that integrate with several subjects, such as math, science, art, health and physical education, and social studies, as well as several educational goals, including personal and social responsibility. “We are humbled that Tomato Head has selected The Muse as the November Loving Spoonful recipient and appreciate the commitment that Mahasti and Scott continue to provide to our organization,” said Ellie Kittrell.įor more information or interviews, please contact Ellie Kittrell, The Muse Knoxville Executive Director, at 86 and or Michael Kuczmarski, The Tomato Head’s Marketing Director, at and 86. With close to 4000 square feet, The Muse presents Knoxville’s only public access Planetarium, an exhibit for preschoolers to test motor skills and express themselves creatively as well as exhibits related to science, engineering, and design for older students. “When we looked at the energy and thoughtfulness going in to the redesign and growth of The Muse project we knew we wanted to be a part.” “One of the focal points of the Loving Spoonful program is non-profits that work with kids,” said Scott Partin, Tomato Head co-owner.
“The funds raised throughout this month will be used to develop our on-site garden beds and the educational programs that will reconnect visitors with the natural world and the true source of their food,” said Ellie Kittrell, Executive Director of The Muse.Ī portion of the proceeds from all food and drink sales generated during lunch and dinner at both Tomato Head locations goes directly to The Muse Knoxville. Join The Muse Knoxville and The Tomato Head each Tuesday in November as they host fundraisers that will add a new addition to the children’s science museum. And that’s what a lot of my position is now: inclusion.Fundraisers for urban garden at children’s science museum in Chilhowee Park. Hodge says the same thread ran through all of it. Also holding a master’s degree in education from LMU, he taught math and science at Maynard Elementary School. Upon graduating, he became Project GRAD’s Student and Family Support Coordinator at Whittle Springs Middle School. The salutatorian of the Austin-East Class of 2011 and UT Class of 2015 graduate in Africana Studies has been long active in leadership, student government and civic organizations.Īs a UT Summer Institute Project Grad pre-college mentor for three summers and leader of a campus-wide campaign entitled Break the Silence, Hodge’s focus was the acknowledgement of marginalized and underrepresented individuals. Hodge says the skill provides emotional nourishment.
In 2017, under the guidance of now-executive director Alison Comer, the nonprofit began an Ambassadors Program, under the umbrella of Belonging, with Austin-East and Fulton High School special education students, who visit the museum regularly and learn important work-readiness skills by working/volunteering in several ways.Ĭorey Hodge leads a West African drumming group as part of the Muse Knoxville Ambassadors Program. “We want to make sure they are appreciated - foremost - regardless of any demographic,” says Hodge.
Hodge and his colleague Tyrone Beach, who is Muse Knoxville’s director of organizational development and marketing, say that as Black individuals they know all too well about being excluded, and they strive to make sure all of their students know that they’re valued. 15, 2022Ĭorey Hodge has been manager of the Belonging Program at Muse Knoxville since last August, and he feels as if he’s been preparing for the position for much of his young life. Now they are Belonging/Ambassadors Program colleagues at Muse Knoxville. Tyrone Beach and Corey Hodge have been pals a long time.