Hallettsville ISD

Hallettsville Elementary to receive Devon Energy’s STEM Center

  • Front row from left are HISD superintendent Dr. Jo Ann Bludau, Devon communications leader, Molly Young, Devon employees Tyler Pekar, Wade Kallus, Billy Hearn and elementary assistant principal Ashley Kallus. Back row from left are board president Brian Smith, Devon employees Chip Phillips, Paul Hanslik, Justin Henke, Trent Fojtik and elementary principal Stephanie Grahmann. Photo by Trina Patek
    Front row from left are HISD superintendent Dr. Jo Ann Bludau, Devon communications leader, Molly Young, Devon employees Tyler Pekar, Wade Kallus, Billy Hearn and elementary assistant principal Ashley Kallus. Back row from left are board president Brian Smith, Devon employees Chip Phillips, Paul Hanslik, Justin Henke, Trent Fojtik and elementary principal Stephanie Grahmann. Photo by Trina Patek

    The Hallettsville Independent School District recently was chosen to receive Devon Energy’s 150th science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) Center in partnership with the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation.

    Regarding a press release from the school district, to celebrate this milestone, Devon employees nominated schools across the country.

    Hallettsville ISD was chosen by a random draw done by the president and CEO at Devon, and the Cal Ripken Jr., co-founder of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation.

    Hallettsville was nominated by its employees Trent Fojtik, Paul Hanslik, Billy Hearn, Justin Henke, Wade Kallus, Tyler Pekar and Chip Phillips.

    This new STEM Center will provide students with exciting learning opportunities,” Moncrief said. “We’re (Devon) is excited to celebrate this milestone and empower young minds to change the world through technology. The STEM education is the cornerstone of innovation, fostering a future where curiosity becomes discovery and challenges transform into real-world solutions.”

    District superintendent, Dr. Jo Ann Bludau, said the Ripken Foundation STEM Center will make an incredible impact on students in Hallettsville.

    “Hands-on learning is essential for students to develop the ability to take what they learn in the classroom and apply it to the world,” said Bludau. “We’re immensely grateful to Devon and the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation for their incredible generosity.”

    Steve Salem, president and CEO of the Ripken Foundation, said Devon has been crucial in supporting STEM education over the last four years.

    “We are proud to celebrate this milestone in our partnership with Devon,” said Salem. “Thanks to Devon and their dedicated employees, more students will be able to utilize new and exciting STEM tools.”

    Hallettsville Elementary will benefit from the STEM Center that will include various types of learning devices for educational activities.

    "We’re very, very excited to be working on a plan to install an Elementary center that will come with all kinds of
    robots, coding tools and resources, and also teacher training and lesson plans,” Communications leader for Devon Energy, Molly Young, said at the Monday, Dec. 11 school
    board meeting.

    In addition, the seven employees, referred to as the ‘Devon Dads’ were recognized at the meeting.

    Devon Energy is a leading oil and gas producer in the U.S. with a premier multi-basin portfolio headlined by a world-class acreage position in the Delaware Basin. Devon’s disciplined cash-return business model is designed to achieve strong returns, generate free cash flow and return capital to shareholders, while focusing on safe and sustainable operations. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, Devon is a Fortune 500 company and is included in the S&P 500 Index. Its common shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol DVN.

    Devon has partnered with the Ripken Foundation since 2019 to open STEM Centers in Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, North Dakota and Wyoming.