ExxonMobil Allocates $300,000 to Support Baton Rouge Education and Workforce Initiatives

• Targeted funding supports primary, secondary, technical and higher education programs
• $75,000 goes to East Baton Rouge School System’s STEM Learning Network and innovation grants
• New Schools for Baton Rouge receives $50,000 for teacher recruitment and training

ExxonMobil is allocating $300,000 in community grant funding to Baton Rouge educational and workforce development programs in 2017. The community grant allocation process is part of more than $4 million donated annually to the area through company donations, employee grants, matching gifts and
Volunteer Involvement Program grants.

“Our investment is targeted to create pathways for jobs, spur innovation in the classroom and encourage collaboration to enhance local education,” said Mark Northcutt, ExxonMobil Baton Rouge refinery plant manager. “There is great opportunity for growth in our industry, and we want local students to be our future workforce.”

ExxonMobil is contributing $75,000 to the East Baton Rouge School System’s STEM Learning Network through the Foundation for EBR Schools. The network provides resources and collaboration for teachers, parents and community leaders in STEM education. Teachers can apply for a portion of this funding for innovative classroom grants through the Foundation for EBR Schools.

“Through ExxonMobil’s support over the past two years, the STEM Learning Network has been recognized as part of the national STEM ecosystem,” says Keila Stovall, executive director, Foundation for EBRSS. “The ecosystem allows us to collaborate with cities across the US on successful practices that increase the number of technology-rich, workforce-relevant experiences for students.”

A grant of $50,000 will go to New Schools for Baton Rouge, which has supported the 2017 opening of Collegiate Academies and the fall 2018 launch of IDEA Public Schools and BASIS Baton Rouge. New Schools will use the funding for teacher professional development and recruitment, which are critical to the success of charter schools.

Other educational funding recipients include City Year and Junior Achievement of Baton Rouge to provide support services to enhance classroom learning. Teach for America will receive funding for its local recruitment and training efforts. Louisiana State University (LSU) will provide educational programming through its student-led Environ-mentors, Math Club and Peer Mentor programs.

To help strengthen the pipeline for craft job opportunities, ExxonMobil is contributing to programs like the Baton Rouge Community College for the collaborative North Baton Rouge Industrial Training Initiative, which expects to graduate 44 students in pipe fitting, welding and electrical crafts this year. Baton Rouge Youth Coalition and HOPE Ministries will also receive grants to support college and work-readiness programs.