With a new school year underway, San Diego Gas & Electric is providing $250,000 in shareholder funds as matching dollars to help teachers supplement classroom education with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) projects.
This is the sixth year that SDG&E is partnering with DonorsChoose, an education nonprofit that empowers public school educators to post funding requests for their projects online and crowdfund donations for them.
“For our region to thrive, it is important that we invest in building the next generation of scientists, engineers, doctors and other STEM professionals,” said SDG&E Community Relations Director Kazeem Omidiji. “STEM education is crucial to developing solutions to society’s most pressing challenges.”
According to DonorsChoose, teachers spend an average of $500 out of pocket on their classrooms each year. The matching funds make it possible for teachers to enrich their students’ learning experiences without having to spend their own money to buy supplies such as robotics kits.
Eligible teachers can visit the DonorsChoose website to apply. The DonorsChoose matching fund program will run from Wednesday until funds are exhausted.
Over the past five years, SDG&E has provided a total of $1.4 million in matching funds to teachers for STEM projects.