Eighth-grader Ariana Van Wick, left, and seventh- grader Kylie Bracken create boats for the “Penny Boat Challenge.” The two students at Butler Intermediate High School, place foil and other materials in a bucket of water to see how many pennies the boat can hold without sinking. The challenge was part of Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day Wednesday at XTO Energy in Cranberry Township.

Female students from Butler Intermediate High School on Wednesday visited XTO Energy in Cranberry Township for Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day.

They took part in two challenges that promote critical and creative thinking and spark curiosity in math and science studies.

“These are really good science students,” science teacher Dave Andrews said.

Of the XTO program, he said, “It opens students to new careers and puts them into a real-life focus.”