If you’re a local teacher in need of funds to buy classroom supplies and materials for hands-on activities and project-based lessons, Chevron’s Fuel Your School program wants to help.
For every eight gallons of gas purchased at participating Chevron and Texaco stations in Orange County in October, the Fuel Your School program donated $1 to help fund eligible classroom projects ─ and those dollars have added up.
Now the company is encouraging K-12 educators to submit their in-class project proposals by Nov. 15 through the DonorsChoose.org website.
From microscopes and safety goggles to art supplies and books, the Fuel Your School program is expected to fund up to $1 million worth of classroom materials and supplies nationwide, including those focused on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) instruction.
“At Chevron, we support education programs that help arm students with critical skills needed to help prepare them for jobs of the future,” said Hector Infante, policy, government and public affairs manager for Chevron in Orange County. “By helping provide engaging STEM classroom resources through Fuel Your School, we are investing in tomorrow’s engineers, scientists and mathematicians here in Orange County.”
Since its inception in 2010, Fuel Your School has helped fund more than 23,500 classroom projects at more than 4,000 schools. Last year alone, the program helped fund 683 eligible projects in Orange County.
“Every day our teachers are leveraging innovative strategies to create hands-on, real world learning experiences for students,” said Dr. Al Mijares, superintendent of schools for Orange County. “Yet these lessons sometimes require materials that are outside of our schools’ budgets. The Chevron Fuel Your School program represents an extraordinary partnership, providing opportunities for educators to purchase the supplies that can take instruction to the next level.”
“I encourage all Orange County teachers to apply for this funding before it runs out,” Mijares said.
David Gordillo’s seventh-grade science class at Gerald P. Carr Intermediate School in Santa Ana is among those that already applied and received funds this year. His classroom took delivery of advanced science equipment — including digital microscopes and hundreds of slides — to discover and learn about the components of living and non-living things through hands-on lessons.
Mr. Gordillo said he hopes these lessons spark a love of science.
“I teach seventh-grade science in a low-income community,” he said. “My students are eager to learn but often do not have the necessary tools to be successful. I want to prepare them for the future and allow them the same opportunities as their peers. By providing time to investigate and inquire, they are learning about the scientific world and technology at the same time.”
Information on eligibility criteria can be accessed at Chevron’s Fuel Your School website, and you can read the official Orange County rules here. Remember to submit all project proposals by no later than Nov 15.