LAKE CHARLES, La. – Nov. 12, 2025 – The CITGO Lake Charles Refinery fueled the excitement for National STEM Day by hosting STEM Day at the Lakefront at Port Wonder on Sunday, Nov. 2, in collaboration with the City of Lake Charles, The Children’s Museum at Port Wonder, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), and Crying Eagle Lakefront.
Hundreds of children and families participated in hands-on activities designed to spark interest in science, technology, engineering and math. Attendees made slime, built miniature boats, created fish art prints, and explored interactive exhibits. Guests also enjoyed complimentary admission to The Children’s Museum and the LDWF Nature & Science Center.
“Our partnership with Port Wonder began in 2022 with a $1 million contribution to the project, and this STEM Day event truly brings that vision full circle,” said Sterling Neblett, vice president and general manager of the CITGO Lake Charles Refinery. “It’s exciting to help introduce families to Port Wonder, many of whom were visiting for the first time, and to encourage a love for STEM through hands-on discovery.”
Neblett’s remarks were echoed by Lake Charles Mayor Marshall Simien, who emphasized the power of collaboration:
“Events like this truly show what’s possible when community partners come together to invest in our city’s youth. By fueling STEM education through fun, hands-on experiences, we’re not only sparking curiosity today, we’re helping build the innovators of tomorrow,” said Lake Charles Mayor Marshall Simien. “Partnerships like these reflect the spirit of ONE Lake Charles and we’re deeply grateful to CITGO for their continued commitment to making opportunities like this possible.”
The celebration continued throughout the week with STEM-focused field trips for students at CITGO’s Partner in Education, E. K. Key Elementary. All students visited The Children’s Museum at Port Wonder, while fifth-graders from the CITGO Innovation Academy traveled to iFly in Houston, Texas, for an immersive experience in physics and math through indoor skydiving guided by STEM educators.
Launched in 2016, the CITGO STEM Talent Pipeline aims to expand access to STEM education and inspire future careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. The program supports schools and educational organizations in CITGO’s operational communities, including the CITGO Innovation Academies at E. K. Key Elementary, LeBlanc Middle, and Sulphur High School. The first CITGO Innovation Academy in Southwest Louisiana opened in 2018 at E. K. Key Elementary, and this year marks a milestone: the original cohort of fifth-grade students who began at the academy in 2018 are now seniors in high school.