Category: Education

CARLSBAD, N.M., October 6, 2026 – Salado Isolation Mining Contractors (SIMCO) is strengthening its commitment to local education and workforce development through a $40,000 grant sponsoring a Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) lab at Hobbs Alternative Learning Center.

The new STEM lab will broaden access to hands-on learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, providing students with meaningful opportunities to develop the skills, confidence and knowledge needed to pursue future education and career pathways.

“Through our partnership with the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation STEM centers, we are making a strategic investment in the future of our students and our community,” said Ryan Flynn, SIMCO Deputy Program Manager. “By expanding access to STEM education and creating pathways to high-demand, high-paying careers, we are helping build the talent pipeline necessary to sustain economic growth and strengthen the Permian Basin for generations to come. Investing in education and workforce development today is an investment in the continued prosperity, resilience and opportunity of our region tomorrow.”

The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation STEM lab will give Hobbs students access to hands-on, experiential learning designed to connect classroom concepts with real-world applications. The program will help students develop critical thinking, problem-solving and technical skills that can prepare them for future workforce opportunities.

“SIMCO’s support of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation reflects our ongoing commitment to education and student success,” said Dr. Joy James Foster, SIMCO Education Outreach Lead. “We are honored to partner with Hobbs Municipal Schools to increase access to STEM education and create meaningful opportunities for students. This lab will broaden student engagement and provide real-world experiences that help students see themselves in careers that are supported through workforce opportunities. It is a powerful investment in equipping students with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to build a brighter future.”

Founded in 2001 by baseball legend Cal Ripken Jr. and his brother, Bill Ripken, the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation initially focused on youth development through sports and mentorship. The organization has since expanded its mission to include national STEM education initiatives, establishing more than 740 STEM centers that serve more than 314,000 students across the United States.

Through its partnership with the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, SIMCO is helping expand access to STEM resources and educational opportunities for local students, while supporting the development of a skilled workforce prepared for the demands of tomorrow. The initiative reflects SIMCO’s broader commitment to educational equity, community investment and the long-term strength and sustainability of the Permian Basin.

By investing in students today, SIMCO is helping create stronger pathways to opportunity — and a stronger workforce for the future.

CARLSBAD, N.M., May 4, 2026 – Salado Isolation Mining Contractors (SIMCO) proudly announces its 2026 SIMCO scholarship program recipients. Helping to build brighter futures with its commitment to education, SIMCO celebrated the recent award of 20 scholarships totaling $20,000. These scholarships went to high school seniors in Eddy and Lea counties. They were selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants.

“SIMCO is committed to investing in our student’s post-secondary education. A college education can have a lasting impact on their lives. We’re proud to play a small part in that journey,” said Dr. Joy James-Foster, SIMCO Education Outreach Lead. “SIMCO scholarships are just one way we’re supporting our students and investing in their futures.”

Students from Artesia, Carlsbad, Hobbs and Loving received scholarships. They were:

Artesia High School
Clay Kincaid

Carlsbad High School
Reenson Akwiembi, Raj Bhakta, Jaylynn DeAnda, Makayla Franco, Jaren Fuentes, Tristan Henley, Emma Hernandez-DeAnda, Abigail Huston, Alexia Lujan, Omar Machuca, Megan McKibben, Chloe Melvin, Hanli Norman and Ariyana Rogers

Hobbs High School
Mia Amezcua, Chloe Conder, Dakota Hayes and Basilia Hernandez

Loving High School
Tabias Chacon

SIMCO also provided funding for the Martin Luther King Scholarship Fund, the Carlsbad Class Act Scholarship Fund, the Hobbs Bash Graduation Night Fund, and the Falcon Fest Scholarship Fund.

To be considered for a SIMCO scholarship, students must plan to attend an accredited college or university.

About WIPP

SIMCO is the management and operations contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad. WIPP, the nation’s only permanent geologic repository for defense transuranic nuclear waste, began disposal operations in 1999.

TRU waste began accumulating at generator sites since the 1940s with the beginning of the United States’ nuclear defense program. As early as the 1950s, the National Academy of Sciences recommended deep disposal of long-lived TRU radioactive wastes in geologically stable formations, such as deep salt beds.

In 1979, Congress authorized WIPP, and construction began in 1980. In 1992, Congress limited the disposal of defense-generated TRU waste by enacting the Land Withdrawal Act. In 1998, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency certified WIPP for safe, long-term disposal of TRU waste. A year later, the New Mexico Environment Department issued a Hazardous Waste Facility Permit for WIPP to operate.

Located in Southeast New Mexico, about 33 miles east of Carlsbad, the WIPP repository is mined out of a 2,000-foot-thick salt bed formed approximately 250 million years ago where TRU waste is disposed of 2,150 feet underground. After the waste is emplaced, the salt will slowly encapsulate the containers, permanently and safely entombing them.

Company selects fifteen teachers from Eddy and Lea counties

Carlsbad, N.M. — Salado Isolation Mining Contractors, LLC (SIMCO) is pleased to award $20,000 in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) teacher mini-grants to 15 area teachers throughout Eddy and Lea counties as part of its continued commitment to local communities.

SIMCO’s Mini-Grant program encourages, promotes and coordinates STEM education, along with a broader focus of incorporating a ‘hands on’ approach in the classroom. Awards ranged from $1000 to $2,000. SIMCO will present the awards to the teachers during a private ceremony on November 18, 2025.

“SIMCO is an integral part of the Eddy and Lea county communities, and we feel it’s vital to support education in those counties,” said President and Program Manager Ken Harrawod. “I am very excited by the wide selection of ages and schools represented within our STEM grant program. We are proud to support our schools and our teachers, and I offer my deep appreciation to all of the teachers in our region.”

“We fully recognize the time and dedication teachers invest in STEM education. A STEM-focused education is something that benefits students throughout their lives,” said Dr. Joy James-Foster, SIMCO’s education outreach lead.

STEM Teacher Mini-Grant awardees include:

• $2,000 to Lea Elementary School (Loving, NM) to purchase mini education robots that the school will use as a hands-on introduction to coding and problem-solving for its STEM Lab.
• $2,000 to Yarbro Elementary School (Lovington, NM) to design, build, and safely launch commercially manufactured model rockets using solid‑propellant model motors.
• $2,000 to Booker T. Washington Elementary School (Hobbs, NM) to purchase “Squishy Circuits,” a science activity for grades K-5 as a design tool that allows students to create circuits and explore electronics using playdoh.
• $2,000 to Carlsbad Early College High School (Carlsbad, NM) to acquire a full set of tablets to provide 1:1or a 2:1 student device ratio in the STEM Lab so that each student can access digital tools for coding, virtual labs, data collection and engineering design software.
• $1,500 to Alta Vista Middle School (Carlsbad) to purchase supplies to build a STEM Greenhouse Lab. This lab will allow students to study plant growth and to observe environmental factors.
• $1,500 to Cottonwood Elementary School (Carlsbad) to purchase supplies which will provide first grade students with engaging, hands-on STEM activities to spark curiosity, creativity, and much-needed problem solving skills.
• $1,500 to Desert Willow Elementary School (Carlsbad) to introduce 3D printer pens into the STEM classroom, providing younger students with hands-on experience in 3D printing.
• $1,000 to Carlsbad High School (Carlsbad) to purchase seeds and gardening supplies to provide hands-on science education to students with cognitive disabilities.
• $1,000 to Hobbs High School (Hobbs) funding to purchase models to use as a tool to teach the concept of derivatives. Models help students at all levels in visual representation and explorations, building a better conceptual understanding.
• $1,000 to SENM Homeschool Hub (Carlsbad) for supplies allowing students to design and test miniature hazardous waste storage systems using engineering principles and materials science concepts.
• $1,000 to CTECH (Hobbs) to purchase eight Sphero Bolt Robots and the accompanying Terrain Park kit for use in their Mechatronics and Robotics/Drone classes.
• $1,000 to the Carlsbad High School theater program (Carlsbad) to acquire supplies allowing them to integrate chemistry and engineering with theatrical design.
• $1,000 awarded to Carlsbad Early College High School (Carlsbad) to purchase a classroom set of graphing calculators for use in the STEM Lab.
• $1,000 to Loving High School (Loving) to purchase Kindle Fire tablets to serve as dedicated control devices for Sphero robots and DJI drones providing hands-on experience with robotics programming and autonomous flight systems.
• $500 to Early Childhood Education Center (Carlsbad) to integrate “Little Engineers: Building Our Neighborhood,” a hands-on STEM project where kindergarten students will explore basic engineering, math, and science concepts by designing and constructing a model neighborhood.

SIMCO, a subsidiary of Bechtel America, is deeply committed to advancing education and enhancing social services throughout Southeastern New Mexico. Each year, the company dedicates a portion of its revenue to funding grants, scholarships, and community initiatives that foster opportunity, drive success, and support long-term stability for local residents.

In 2025, SIMCO’s employee-led advisory committee also awarded $75,000 to 11 nonprofit organizations, focusing on critical areas such as food security, literacy, public health and safety and STEM education. Among other notable contributions this year, SIMCO played a key role in bringing New Mexico’s first high school-level Cal Ripken, Sr. STEM Lab at Carlsbad Early College High School – marking a significant milestone in the region’s educational landscape.

Carlsbad, NM., September 15, 2025 — Salado Isolation Mining Contractors (SIMCO) is now accepting applications for our STEM Education Mini-Grants. Teachers in K-12 schools in Eddy County and Lea County are eligible to submit applications for support of classroom science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) projects as part of its 2025 Education Outreach Community Commitment Plan. 

SIMCO’s Mini-Grant program encourages, promotes and coordinates STEM education, along with a broader focus of incorporating a “hands on” approach in the classroom. Awards range from $1000 to $2000. 

Teachers submitting applications should focus on STEM relevance. In addition to traditional STEM projects, another teacher in a related discipline might apply for a grant for students to explore the lives of scientists, mathematicians, etc., or for materials to develop problem-solving or other critical thinking skills. The online application, along with information about proposal and evaluation criteria, is available at: https://form.jotform.com/252304025197148 

Grants are available on three levels: 

• Single classroom: $1000 
• Multiple classrooms: $1,500
• Entire school: $2,000 

SIMCO will accept applications online until 5 p.m. on September 29, 2025. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. Winners will be notified no later than October 8, 2025. For more information about the SIMCO STEM Education Mini-Grants Program please visit our education page at https://simco-llc.us/education-outreach/ or contact Dr. Joy James-Foster, Education Outreach Lead, at (575-234-7512 or Joy.James-Foster@wipp.doe.gov)

SIMCO recently presented a $12,000 check to Inspired by Science as part of its community commitment to support STEM education at the elementary school level.

Inspired by Science was established in 2013 by Deena and Mike Antiporda with their three young sons, and it has thrived with the help of many dedicated volunteers who have helped make the organization a success. Its purpose is to promote STEM education at the elementary school level through hands-on science experiences that are both educational and fun in hopes of inspiring students to pursue education and careers in STEM-related fields.

“SIMCO is proud to be partnering with Inspired by Science and its founder and CEO, Deena Antiporda, to bring STEM to life in tangible ways,” said SIMCO Program Manager Ken Harrawood.