Grade-level Talks

by Vivien Lewis

On May 1, 2026, a representative from the Exxon Mobil Program gave a presentation to a group of eighth graders. The Exxon Mobil program is an extracurricular opportunity that provides students with educators that guide students through engineering projects and STEM activities. It includes activities such as 3D printing, chemistry projects, robotics and many other things. 

This is important to Hogg students because it can deepen students' understanding of many aspects of STEM. This helps students with schoolwork and pairs students with a career pathway coach that can help with school work and grades. These coaches make sure students thoroughly understand what they are doing. It also provides scholarships and partially pays for college. This program is connected to multiple high schools that they charter from.

Eighth-grade assistant Ms. Segovia believes that this program has a lot to offer to students that are interested in STEM careers to pursue for the rest of their lives. She thinks that it’s good for a fun, academic after-school activity that also can help you decide what you want to pursue for your future.

“I recommend it because they can actually see what they want to do and do it for their career. It's mainly just a big window of opportunities. They can get in there and see if STEM is the field they want to do for the rest of their lives,” she said.

This program stuck out to her because she and another administrator went out to their facility to see what they had to offer. They got to see the lab themselves, actively see coaches and teachers interact with the students, and see the fun labs that they do as well!

Principal Saldana thought that it would provide an excellent opportunity for students to build their STEM skills using high-quality equipment and resources. 

“The program connects students to further opportunities and experiences that can support them beyond middle and high school,” Principal Saldana said. “I also recently spoke to a parent of one of our Hogg alumni who shared how impactful the ExxonMobil program was in preparing her son for college and a future career.”

After attending the assembly in the auditorium, there were students who immediately signed up. Many students were interested in what it had to offer. 

Taylor Antoine, an eighth grader, signed up for it soon after the gathering. She signed up because she thought it would be a good opportunity for her career as she wants to pursue programming. What appealed to her the most was that it helped her prepare for college and many jobs after. In the future, she wants to be in Informational Technology, and this program directly helps her learn more information about this role.

“I just really thought that this would be a good opportunity and help me reach my career goals,” she said.

Another student, Cruz Sosa, hasn't figured out what he wants to do in the future. That's why he joined! He wanted to see if he wanted to pursue a career in the STEM workfield. He also had some free time after school and wanted to do a fun activity to benefit his learning. There were many things that stuck out to him. One of them was that the program provided scholarships.

“I liked how they provide scholarships because that could really help me in college,” he said.

There were many other things that stuck out to him like how they have 3-D printing. He thought the robots they had were cool, too.

The visit from the Exxon Mobil program made a big impact on both the students and staff at Hogg. With academic help, and great scholarship opportunities, the program gives students chances to explore their interests and get ready for future jobs. Whether students already have a clear idea of what they want to do or are still figuring it out, the program creates a place to try new things.

As more and more students are talking about what the program can do for themselves, the excitement keeps growing. For many, this could be the first step towards a career in the STEM work field. The Exxon Mobil program is more than just an after-school activity, it’s a chance to learn new things and help your education and thinking skills grow.

If more people sign up for this program, this partnership could turn into a long-term resource for Hogg students.

Common questions

“Can this program help people in the medical field and cover medical school fees?”

Yes, this program can totally benefit students that want to be in the medical field. The projects are based on biology and projects that relate to the human body. They have many people that are in dentistry, and they will provide the same $10,000 scholarship per year.

“Can this program boost my education?” 

Yes, it can boost your education in many ways. You will learn new topics and figure out how to use many different pieces of technology. It also helps you with grades and keeps you up to a high standard.

“Does this program charter to Energy Institute High School?” 

No, it does not charter to Energy Institute High School. If you are interested, you would have to get a ride to one of our locations. If enough people from Energy Institute High School sign up for their program, they will get a bus to charter from there.

“Can this program help pay for college?”

Yes, it can help cover some college costs. It gives you $10,000 per year in scholarships for loyal students that are determined to enhance their career in STEM.