2026 CITGO Energy Education Workshop for Teachers – Downers Grove, Illinois
Date and Location
November 12, 2026
CITGO Petroleum Corporation
Refinery Support Center
2651 Warrenville Rd., Suite 400
Downers Grove, IL 60515
For The Attendees:
• Hands-on kits and curriculum materials
• A great day of hands-on learning and professional networking
• Breakfast and lunch
• Substitute reimbursement provided
Who Should Attend:
• 4th to 12th grade science educators
• CTE educators
• Afterschool program leaders
Questions
Contact Wendi Moss at wmoss@need.org or call 1-800-875-5029
Agenda
8:00 a.m. Registration & Continental Breakfast
Pick up curriculum materials and supplies and network during breakfast
8:30 a.m. Welcome and Today’s Goals and Objectives
Meet your fellow participants. Review goals and objectives for the workshop and begin planning ways to use the NEED materials and training in your school. Play Oil and Gas Bingo!
9:00 a.m. The Science of Energy
Learn more about the forms of energy and energy transformations while exploring the stations of the Science of Energy kit. CITGO’s sponsorship provides each teacher with a Science of Energy Kit.
10:45 a.m. Great Energy Debate
Teams learn about all of the energy sources, then are assigned to represent one specific energy source. Working cooperatively, to develop arguments on the merits of their source over the others.
11:45 a.m. Exploring Oil and Natural Gas 101
12:00 p.m. Lunch
12:45 p.m. Exploring Oil and Natural Gas and Fossil Fuels to Products (con’t)
These lessons and activities help students understand the exploration, production and use of the nation’s oil and natural gas. CITGO’s sponsorship provides each teacher with an Oil & Gas Kit.
• Getting the Oil Out
• Pipeline Push
• Refining Maze
• Petroleum Ponder
• Pretzel Power
2:30 p.m. Oil and Gas Career Roundup
3:00 p.m. Explore The NEED Website
3:15 p.m. Q&A and Workshop Paperwork
3:30 p.m. Adjourn
