SULPHUR, La. – April 16, 2025 – The CITGO Lake Charles Refinery partnered once again with Bess the Book Bus, a mobile literacy initiative, to bring the magic of storytelling to children in Southwest Louisiana. During visits to Brenda Hunter Head Start, E. K. Key Elementary, J. D. Clifton Elementary, and T. H. Watkins Elementary schools, the program provided young students the chance to select a special book to call their own.
E. K. Key Elementary School Principal Beth Hooper expressed her thanks: “We are so grateful to CITGO and Bess the Book Bus for bringing the joy of reading directly to our youngest learners. Watching our PreK through first grade students light up as they choose their very own book and listen to a story read just for them is truly heartwarming. This experience not only supports literacy but also helps spark a lifelong love of books. Thank you, CITGO and Bess the Book Bus, for making reading magical for our students!”
This annual collaboration underscores the shared dedication of CITGO and Bess the Book Bus to fostering literacy and encouraging early childhood education in meaningful, hands-on ways.
“Having Bess the Book Bus back in our community is always a highlight,” said Sterling Neblett, vice president and general manager of the CITGO Lake Charles Refinery. “In just two days, we had the privilege of connecting with 600 children and providing them with their very own book to take home—a small gift with the power to inspire big dreams.”
Based in Tampa, Fla., Bess the Book Bus, founded by Jennifer Frances in 2002, brings book ownership to underserved children. Supported by CITGO, it reaches over 45,000 children annually, distributing more than 75,000 books across dozens of states. Beyond this partnership, CITGO champions education in Calcasieu Parish through initiatives like the CITGO Innovation Academies—STEM-focused programs at E. K. Key Elementary, LeBlanc Middle, and Sulphur High School. A participant in the Calcasieu Parish School Board’s Partners in Education Program since 1988, CITGO supports four schools, including Sulphur Ninth Grade Campus and High School, the Calcasieu Parish Alternative Sites, and E. K. Key Elementary.
About CITGO CITGO Petroleum Corporation is a recognized leader in the refining industry and operates under the well-known CITGO brand. CITGO owns and operates three refineries located in Lake Charles, La.; Lemont, Ill.; and Corpus Christi, Texas, and wholly and/or jointly owns 42 active terminals, six pipelines and three lubricants blending and packaging plants. With approximately 3,600 employees and a combined crude capacity of approximately 807,000 barrels-per-day (bpd), CITGO ranks as the fifth largest and is one of the most complex independent refiners in the United States. CITGO transports and markets transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products, and supplies a network of approximately 4,000 locally owned and independently operated branded retail outlets, all located east of the Rocky Mountains.