Phillips 66 Makes a Generous Gift

In 1999, JA of Southeast Texas launched the second JA BizTown (then Exchange City) facility in the United States. Since then, nearly half a million students have participated in JA’s marquee learning experiences. We want to continue providing those invaluable opportunities for students, and with the Phillips 66 | JA Discovery Center, that will now be possible.

Phillips 66 has made an astounding $5 million gift to support JA’s goal of building a new JA Discovery Center, a 35,000-40,000-square-foot world-class experiential learning center. The new facility will house the JA BizTown and JA Finance Park experience, which will continue to help students connect what they learn in school with the realities of the business world and everyday life.

“The JA Discovery Center will enable young minds to be prepared for the future and open a world of opportunities,” said Mark Lashier, CEO Phillips 66. “We invest in the JA mission because an educated workforce will drive our economic future and that of the community overall.”

The JA BizTown program provides educators with lessons and resources to effectively integrate financial literacy and career readiness into the elementary school classroom. The program supports critical thinking skills and student engagement and helps students connect the dots between what they learn in school and the real world. JA Finance Park includes a classroom-based curriculum that culminates in a hands-on simulation that helps students build a foundation upon which they can make intelligent financial decisions and correlate educational performance with future earning power.

Phillips 66, Thank you for this transformative gift. Not only for JA but, more importantly, for the young people we serve.

If you would like to donate to the new Phillips 66 | JA Discovery Center, please click here.