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Southeast Texas students in 4th through 8th grade have engaged in entertaining and educational activities to further expand their interest in mathematics, technology, science, and engineering thanks to the JASON Project.

More than 7,400 area students joined in workshops taking place at ¿ìÉ«ÊÓƵ’s John Gray Center and in the new Center for Innovation, Commercialization and Entrepreneurship. The students visited the campus over a two-week period ending January 20.

The students viewed a 30-minute JASON video produced by Lamar’s communication and Earth and space sciences departments.

“The enthusiasm of the students and the teachers brings me joy,” said D’Ann Douglas, JASET director who has participated in the JASON Project since 2001.

“This year the students are able to participate in hands on learning science experiments that teach them about wild weather,” Douglas said.

In the program, presenters talk to students about wild weather, teaching them how to stay safe and what affects weather can have on a community. Students also learned ways to prevent flooding from hurricanes and heavy rainfall.

“Every student participates in three hands-on activities, and those actives are presented by members of the community from local refineries, local museums, the national weather service and more,” said Douglas.

Janai Collins, a fourth grader at Amelia elementary said “I learned that hurricanes can spread from one city to another, as they increase in category size. I also learned that they can go up to 100 miles per hour.”  Collins also said that her favorite subject is reading.

This year representatives from the National Weather Service conducted presentations so that the students can see how the tornado forms, and how to be safe when a tornado occurs.

“I was in the class with the hands-on lab where I learned about balloons and helium,” said Dorie Doss, a fourth grader at Amelia elementary. “The more it elevates the bigger it gets.” Doss aspires to become a doctor and his favorite subjects in school are social studies, science and math.

This year students from Beaumont ISD, Vidor ISD, Bridge City ISD, Nederland ISD, West Orange Cove ISD, and more participated.

Key financial contributors supporting this year’s JASON Project were: BASF Total Petrochemical, Capitol One Bank, Chevron Phillips Chemical Co., Kate Dishman Trust, Entergy Corp., ExxonMobil Corp., Flint Hills Resources, Golden Pass LNG, Higginbotham Insurance & Financial Services, Houseman Charitable Trust, Chuck & Becky Mason Fund, Mobil Oil Federal Credit Union, Motiva Enterprises LLC, RPS/Kathleen Alsup, and TOTAL.

JASON provides curriculum and learning experiences in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) for K-12 students, and high-quality professional development for teachers. JASON has been used successfully in a wide variety of formal and informal education environments.

To learn more about the program, visit .