17 Chattanooga area high school students graduate from BASF’s TECH Academy

CHATTANOOGA, TN, July 1, 2025 – 17 Chattanooga-area high school students graduated from BASF’s TECH Academy, a week-long program delivered in partnership with Chattanooga State Community College that introduces students to technical and craft careers through skills classes, workshops and industry tours.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of BASF’s TECH Academy program nationwide, celebrating a decade of inspiring students to pursue opportunities in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) fields.

“TECH Academy gives high school students a unique chance to explore a variety of career paths through hands-on learning with industry professionals,” said Brittany Davis, Operations Manager at BASF’s Chattanooga site. “By sponsoring this program with Chattanooga State Community College, we hope to help students feel more confident and prepared to pursue careers in STEAM fields.”

TECH Academy began each day with a hands-on classroom session featuring experiments and demonstrations led by Chattanooga State instructors. Students then participated in afternoon field trips to local manufacturing facilities where they gained insight into different industry procedures and practices and learned about career opportunities. Students toured Tennessee American Water, Branch Technology, Chattanooga Bakery, Southern Champion Tray and BASF’s Chattanooga facility.

In addition to industry tours and classroom demonstrations, students learned both soft skills and technical skills such as welding, 3D printing and hydro-power generation.

“As a student, this program is helping me figure out what I want to do with my future,” said Ysabelle Smith, a student at Hixson High School. “TECH Academy is a great opportunity to explore whether a STEAM-related field is the right path for me.”

TECH Academy is part of BASF’s STEAM education and workforce development efforts in North America to support industry growth and regional investment. The program is funded annually by BASF and is free for students. The application process is open to any local student going into their junior or senior year of high school who is interested in technical careers. Applications for the 2026 TECH Academy will open in February.

The following students completed TECH Academy 2025:

• Isaiah Cavin, Ringgold High School
• Will Cline, Silverdale Baptist Academy
• Weston Duke, Berean Academy
• Sawyer Hammonds, The Ark Academy
• Teddy Hodge, Soddy Daisy High School
• Pedro Jimenez, Chattanooga Preparatory School
• Aaron Johnson, Soddy Daisy High School
• Michael Martin, Red Bank High School
• Mya Michener, Ivy Academy
• Khanishka Mote, Chattanooga High Center for Creative Arts
• Mario Moss, Homeschool
• Kendal Neyman, Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts
• Cody Stansifer, Berean Academy
• Ysabelle Smith, Hixson High School
• Nolan Strait, Homeschool/Veritas
• Lane Warren, Bradley County Virtual School
• Catherine Watkins, Brainerd High School

A gallery of images for media use may be viewed here.

For more information about BASF in Tennessee, visit http://www.basf.us/tennessee.

About BASF

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has approximately 16,000 employees in North America and had sales of $19.7 billion in 2024. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.com/us.

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. Our ambition: We want to be the preferred chemical company to enable our customers’ green transformation. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 112,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises, as core businesses, the segments Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, and Nutrition & Care; our standalone businesses are bundled in the segments Surface Technologies and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €65.3 billion in 2024. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.