Motiva may have invested in their future workforce Tuesday.

At the very least, they invested in their community.

The company that owns North America’s most productive refinery here donated $650,000 to Port Arthur Independent School District and $250,000 to Lamar State College Port Arthur in separate events held at Woodrow Wilson Early College High School and adjoining Lamar State College Port Arthur.

Representatives of Motiva, PAISD and the Port Arthur Education Foundation signed pacts through which the Port Arthur schools will:

• Enhance their campus security with $400,000 to buy camera equipment.

• Spend $200,000 for two new school buses.

• Replace vehicles lost in Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey with $50,000.

Port Arthur Superintendent Mark Porterie said security is top of mind when the community considers its schools. Camera equipment purchased with the Motiva donation will go a long way toward making local schools safer; the two new buses that will be purchased with the donation will come with seatbelts.

In the second ceremony, Motiva and Lamar Port Arthur President Betty Reynard signed an agreement that will put $250,000 toward building a glycol processing unit that will help develop the skills of process technology and instrumentation technology students at the campus.

“This unit is going to be greatly beneficial to our students, as it provides real-world work to give them more experience that they can use in their future careers,” she said.

Lamar Port Arthur has received a $2 million Economic Development Administration grant to build the unit, which will be housed in a new building adjacent to the Umphrey Building.

George Bohn, who oversees the instrumentation and process technology programs said more than 100 students are enrolled in the two-year, associate’s degree programs. Many students enroll to prepare for work in the plants.

“Education and workforce development are important issues to Motiva and we are honored to contribute in meaningful ways to these two institutions,” said Ed Haloulos, executive vice president of human resources. “It’s important to invest in the people of Port Arthur, as they are the future workers and leaders of the community, and they could even be our future employees.”

Education Foundation President Barbara Phillips said the donations help to “grow our efforts in the community.”

She said Motiva has a proud history of partnering with Port Arthur education through science, technology, engineering and math programs; by mentoring students; and through participation in career fairs.

Joe Tant of the Education Foundation said the donations came unexpectedly.

Greg Lucchesi, general manager at the Motiva refinery in Port Arthur, said the company has donated some $7 million in the community since Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey hit Southeast Texas in August 2017.

He said Motiva’s post-storm efforts included helping to stabilize the community, serving their workforce and then getting the plant back on line — in that order.

“This community is important to us. It’s not just a place to work — it’s home to many employees who work at Motiva,” Lucchesi said. “We’re honored to help provide a safe and engaging learning environment for students with these donations.”