By Dana Sternthal
Staff Writer
For numerous years, the Chevron Corporation has been donating money to school districts throughout the South Bay, including the Manhattan Beach Unified School District; however, these funds have recently come under scrutiny due to the specificity of the grants. Without these funds, Mira Costa High School and Manhattan Beach Middle School would be deprived of programs and facilities that greatly improve Costa students’ math and science educations.
Through their charitable donations, Chevron puts an emphasis on kindergarten through 12th grade education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (or STEM) courses and facilities. In 2009, Chevron tripled its annual donation to the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation to $1 million, and in 2010, gave $1 million dollars to fund STEM programs in 15 different schools in the South Bay, including MBMS.
A significant contribution that Chevron made directly to Mira Costa was in 2007 with the math and science technology lab. Without the important funding from Chevron, the lab would not have been built, and it is a valuable resource for our school since it allows students to use digital resources when the library is not available.
MBMS used the $1 million donated in 2010 to establish the “Chevron Futures Institute for the Advancement of Young Women in Science, Mathematics, and Technology.” This all-girls science course has an emphasis on creative problem solving and teamwork and includes the study of robotics, genetic engineering and alternative energy. Currently, the ratio of men to women in the field of engineering is nine to one, but programs like STEM encourage girls to get interested in science at a young age, therefore promoting diversity. This could not have been achieved without the donations from Chevron.
An example of the impact made at Mira Costa by these STEM programs sponsored by Chevron at MBMS can be seen in the founding of Girls Advancing Leadership in STEM (GALS) Club on the Costa campus. The club was founded by sophomore Allison Doami, who participated in the STEM program when in middle school. Her experience with STEM highlighted for her the importance of female leadership in science and engineering, demonstrating the long-term effects these STEM programs can have on MBUSD students.
Chevron has also been a sponsor of the Manhattan Wine Auction for 15 years, which supports the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation and has raised millions of dollars since its start in 1994. Chevron has also donated money to MBEF separately. These funds, in turn, are essential to MBUSD to maintain the resources and caliber of education at Mira Costa. This money could be used to pay the salaries of educators, guidance counselors, and other roles in the school system as needed. In addition, Chevron is researching new initiatives to help “green” the school with modern technologies such as solar panels.
Those against accepting the Chevron grants claim that some of the company’s past environmental and political actions have been questionable. However, the money donated by Chevron plays a crucial role in the education of MBUSD students, and these opinions should not interfere with students’ abilities to receive a premier education.
Although Chevron has opposed the idea of placing a severance tax on oil, which would effectively raise more money for public schools, the individual grants they provide to districts like MBUSD show their commitment to supporting education. Additionally, the grants given by Chevron for STEM programs make a positive impact in the district’s overall funding decisions by providing classes and paying for science teachers.
Without funding from Chevron, our district would lack a math and science lab, as well as a STEM class that inspires students to branch out and form related clubs. With the current budget cuts, it makes sense to receive these grants, because of their ability to supply programs that make MBUSD a top 20 district in California.
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