Special to The Leader

BEAUMONT – Junior Achievement of the Golden Triangle (JA) hosted over 160 high school students and 70 professional engineers from 18 local companies at its sixth annual Engineering Job Shadow Lunch. Held at the Beaumont Event Centre on February 22, the event is designed to spark student interest in engineering as a career path by demonstrating various fields of engineering and the ways engineers contribute to our community and the world.

Krista Hunter, programs director for Junior Achievement of the Golden Triangle, said, “This event is a great opportunity for math and science students to learn about a career choice that they may have never considered. Exploring basic scientific principles, the engineers and students engage in science experiments using common household items and talking over lunch.”

Hunter, added, “None of this would have been possible without the support from local engineers who volunteered, our presenting sponsor Flint Hills Resources, and supporting sponsors ExxonMobil and Chevron Phillips Chemicals. Their continued support helps JA achieve its mission of empowering youth to own their economic success.”

Participating schools were from Beaumont Central and West Brook, Port Arthur Memorial 9^th Grade Campus, Nederland, Port Neches-Groves, Bridge City, Buna, Hampshire-Fannett, West Orange-Stark, and Sabine Pass.

“This event is unique to the Golden Triangle because we have volunteers from many local companies working together to encourage the next generation workforce to consider a career in engineering,” said Jeff Tilley, ventures director for Flint Hills Resources Port Arthur. “Flint Hills Resources is honored to be the presenting sponsor of this important educational event for the fifth consecutive year.”

Junior Achievement is the world’s largest and fastest- growing organization dedicated to educating young people about business, economics and free enterprise. Through age-appropriate curricula, JA programs begin at the elementary school level, teaching children how they can impact the world around them as individuals, workers and consumers. JA programs continue through the middle and high school grades, preparing students for additional key economic and workforce issues they will face in the future. Today JA reaches more than seven million students through 140 offices nationwide and another two million students in more than 100 countries worldwide.

Flint Hills Resources is an industry leader in refining, chemicals, and biofuels and ingredients, with operations primarily in the Midwest and Texas. Its manufacturing capability is built upon six decades of refining experience, and the company has expanded its operations through capital projects and acquisitions worth more than $13 billion since 2002.