Huber Engineered Woods (HEW), a company in the J.M. Huber Corporation business portfolio and builder of a new mill in Shuqualak, Miss., recently celebrated a $170,000 investment supporting hands-on STEM education and career-connected learning for more than 1,400 students across Noxubee and Kemper counties. The funding will expand Project Lead The Way (PLTW) programs in local schools, helping to build a pipeline for future engineers, scientists and skilled workers in the region.
“We are visiting classrooms today to see the funds in action,” said Lea Volpe, Vice President and Communications and Community Relations at J.M Huber Corporation. “It’s great to see the excitement in their faces as they are learning computer science, robotics, and engineering skills that we are investing in to help prepare them for the future.”
While the investment was officially celebrated this week, the PLTW programs funded by HEW have already made a measurable impact for more than a year. In the program’s first year, approximately 1,000 elementary, middle and high school students in Noxubee and Kemper counties were directly exposed to PLTW’s project-based STEM curriculum. Twelve teachers also completed PLTW’s intensive two-week training program to prepare for classroom implementation, expanding learning opportunities for students at every level.
The announcement was highlighted during an event on Thursday, October 9, at Noxubee County High School and the Noxubee County Career and Technical Center, where representatives from HEW and PLTW witnessed the program’s impact in action. At the high school, students in computer science classes demonstrated how they are learning coding and app development. By the end of the school year, each student will have designed and customized their own app, applying the skills learned through PLTW’s project-based approach. At the Career and Technical Center, students in an Introduction to Engineering course showcased their teamwork and critical thinking as they designed, built and tested catapult systems with their peers.
“The funding enhances our program offerings by exposing kids to things they wouldn’t ordinarily be exposed to,” said Dr. Washington Cole IV, Superintendent of Education, Noxubee County School District. “When you see a company such as Huber reaching out and supporting schools, it enhances our students’ outlook on life, the investment and the community. It’s uplifting and encouraging.”
HEW’s funding supports full K–12 PLTW pathways, which offer students engaging, hands-on learning experiences in science, technology, engineering and math. PLTW’s programming centers around activity-, project-, and problem-based (APB) instructional design, helping students understand how the knowledge and skills they develop in the classroom can be applied in everyday life. These programs equip students with real-world problem-solving and critical thinking skills while preparing them for college and high-demand careers.
A major focus of PLTW’s curriculum, in partnership with HEW, is not only introducing technical skills but also equipping students with essential life skills such as collaboration, communication and teamwork. These skills are critical for both academic and professional success.
“I’m really impressed with what we saw from the students and educators involved in this partnership,” said Dr. David Dimmett, President and CEO of Project Lead The Way. “We’ve always talked about Project Lead The Way as ‘you can’t be what you can’t see,’ and in a lot of communities, especially in a rural community, you don’t get to see business and industry. We help students see the world and help them get prepared for it as well.”
The investment also aligns with Huber’s broader efforts to strengthen local communities surrounding its new Huber Engineered Woods mill in Shuqualak, which represents a significant economic development project in the region.
“We believe that providing children with the opportunity to have high-quality education is good for everybody. It’s good for the kids; it’s good for the families; and it’s good for all employers in the area,” said Volpe. “We will also be looking for our future workforce. We want to prepare local kids to have the skills and knowledge they need to work in the Huber Mill and be able to stay and work in the community where they grew up.”