Covestro Baytown interns refresh science lab at Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Center
Publication date: July 2026
A fresh coat of paint can transform a room, but a community project can do much more than change the look of a space. It can create an environment that inspires curiosity, encourages learning and helps the next generation see themselves as scientists and innovators.
This summer, Covestro Baytown interns brought that idea to life at the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Center, a longtime Covestro community partner. The team spent a day refreshing the Covestro science lab at the center, creating a brighter, more engaging space for the students who visit throughout the year.
The project is part of Covestro’s commitment to Brighter Communities, with a focus on creating Brighter Minds, Brighter Places and stronger communities Brighter Together.
Bringing science to life
The interns transformed the lab from top to bottom, repainting the room and adding colorful murals featuring mosquitoes and marsh grass.
The artwork was designed with the science taking place in the lab in mind. Each year, Covestro funds new microscopes for local fifth-grade students visiting the Wetlands Center, where they study the life cycle of mosquitoes and explore the ecosystems around them.
The new murals add a visual connection to those lessons, helping make the science lab a space that sparks curiosity before students even begin their experiments.
By supporting hands-on science education, Covestro is helping bring Brighter Minds to life and encouraging young learners to explore the world around them.
Where creativity meets innovation
The project also gave the interns an opportunity to put their own creativity and problem-solving skills to work.
When interns Carlos Carreon Jr. and Alaycia Lee began working on the intricate mosquito designs, they initially tried drawing the images by hand. To create more precise and symmetrical designs, Carlos used VR Oculus goggles to trace the mosquito stencils directly onto the wall.
The result was an unexpected but fitting combination of technology, creativity and hands-on work — demonstrating the same kind of innovative thinking that is central to Covestro.
Working Brighter Together
Bringing the project to life required collaboration between the interns, Covestro employees and the Wetlands Center.
Intern team lead Ryan Wallace coordinated the project from start to finish, working with Daulton Cantrell and Nicholas Sims and maintaining communication with the center’s director to help ensure the renovation came together smoothly.
The result is a refreshed science lab that students can enjoy for years to come — and a reminder of what can happen when people work Brighter Together.
For the interns, the project was an opportunity to give back to the Baytown community while helping create a more inspiring learning environment. For the Wetlands Center and its young visitors, it means a Brighter Place to explore science, ask questions and discover what might be possible.
Covestro is proud to support the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Center and help create opportunities for the next generation of scientists, explorers and innovators to learn, imagine and grow.