TOMBALL – The Tomball Economic Development Corporation (TEDC), Tomball ISD and Baker Hughes partnered to host 20 Tomball sixth-grade students at a half-day camp to encourage interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Students who attended the camp were able to learn more about the energy industry and heard from Baker Hughes employees about their work to help solve real-world challenges to produce safer, cleaner and more efficient technology for people and the planet.
Students across Tomball ISD junior high school campuses applied for the camp through an essay describing why they wanted to attend and what they expected to learn. A committee of Tomball ISD personnel selected five students from each school based on their essay, grades, and behavioral and attendance record to attend the event held at Baker Hughes’ state-of-the-art Western Hemisphere Education Center in Tomball.
“Tomball ISD recognizes the importance of connecting education and industry. The opportunity provided by Baker Hughes is exactly the type of experience we want for our students,” said Jennifer Adams, Director of Science and Robotics for Tomball ISD. “Bringing these high-achieving students to Baker Hughes gives them a global perspective right in their backyard. It opens their minds to a world of opportunity.”
Children expressed excitement to see the oil and gas production rigs on the campus, and to don personal protective equipment (PPE), such as safety shoes, glasses, vests and hardhats. The PPE was necessary for visits to rigs in an outside yard, as well as fluids labs and pressure pumping simulators. The day also included hands-on activity to learn about magnetic fields, virtual reality rig simulators, and a discussion about the Baker Hughes sustainability commitment to become carbon neutral by 2050.
Baker Hughes is the first company in the oil and gas services and equipment industry to commit to become carbon neutral by 2050, Wilson Leong, a senior growth initiatives manager with Baker Hughes’ Energy Transition and Clean Energy Solutions group told the young audience. Leong presented about how the company has an important role to play in providing technology to reduce carbon emissions from energy operations in collaboration with others to limit impacts of climate change. He encouraged students to ask questions that elicited informed responses and curious questions.
Kelly Violette, TEDC executive director, added that the STEM camp is an ideal way for local industry and education to collaborate.
“The TEDC is committed to promoting local business and developing career opportunities in Tomball. What better way to do that than to have Baker Hughes host 20 Tomball ISD students and expose them to the amazing work taking place right down the street from where they go to school. It is a truly valuable partnership,” Violette said.