Powering Possibilities: SBS Introduces the School of Energy

At the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year, Second Baptist School launched the School of Energy, the third track in the growing Schools of Distinction program. Established in 2023, the Schools of Distinction give students opportunities to explore potential career paths through the School of Business, School of Medicine and now the School of Energy.

For students growing up in Houston, one of the world's leading centers of the energy industry, the new track offers a chance to explore a field with significant local and global impact.

Through hands-on experiments, interaction with industry professionals and exposure to a wide range of energy careers, students learn the science, engineering and problem-solving behind the industry. Projects range from building physical models of oil field equipment to comparing the viscosities and densities of fluids to better understand crude oil properties. 

The result, according to Dean of the Schools of Distinction Dr. Jill Foote, is that the School of Energy provides students with “hands-on, real-world experiential learning they would not typically encounter in a standard high school classroom.” 

School of Energy teacher Kristelle Castiglione describes the introductory course: “Students are currently working on a project to research careers in the energy sector that might fit their God-given interests and gifts. [They] are discussing the different skill sets that scientists and engineers bring to solving energy problems, and students are being encouraged to consider careers in both renewable and non-renewable energy. Their understanding of careers in energy will be further aided in this course by labs, case scenarios and guest speakers.”

Castiglione reiterates that “the Schools of Distinction offer students a chance to explore academic subjects leading to professional careers that aren't typically offered at the high school level. As Houston is a leading center for the energy industry worldwide, it is only natural that SBS would tailor a School of Distinction with that focus.”

Whether students ultimately pursue careers in energy or discover that their gifts lead them elsewhere, the experience gives them an opportunity to explore, ask questions and consider how God might use their abilities and interests to serve others through their future work. Through the Schools of Distinction, students begin to discover where their interests and God-given gifts intersect, preparing them to pursue with excellence whatever God calls them to do.