Community

2026 SOWELA Professional Development Program

Supported by a $150,000 ExxonMobil Foundation grant, this program brought educators from 6 Southwest Louisiana parishes together for an immersive STEM week.

SOWELA By The Numbers

40 educators

1,600 CPE hours

7 community partners

9 VIPs attended the showcase

8.49K estimated views of camp coverage

22 pieces of coverage

384 engagements

5 ExxonMobil volunteers

2nd Annual SOWELA Professional Development Program

Throughout the week at SOWELA Technical Community College, educators designed lesson plans, received feedback from industry experts, and adapted the curriculum to align with their existing school-year plans, including for special populations and grade levels. Educators shared their projects with community members during a final showcase. Teachers left the training with curriculum materials, and ongoing plans will provide additional classroom support during the school year through quarterly touchpoints, webinars, and Amazon Wishlist fulfillment for classroom materials.

“Attending the STEM Energy Professional Development at SOWELA Technical Community College was a mind-opening experience. Collaborating with fellow teachers while diving into project-based learning in various STEM fields completely transformed my perspective on real-world teaching and learning.”

Brandy Wennerstrom, Allen Parish Schoolboard Teacher

SOWELA Survey Results

Educators reported a measurable increase in their confidence in delivering STEM content, including content knowledge, integration of PBL, and the ability to deliver high-quality projects to their students.

SOWELA Photos

SOWELA Media Highlights