Promotes STEM Opportunities through Grant Funding
The Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) presented El Rancho High School with $10,000 in grant funding to be used toward STEM programs at El Rancho High School.
Julia Emerson, the Public Affairs Manager and local representative for the Southern California Gas Company, reached out to the District after learning about the $10,000 grant opportunity that was going to be offered by SoCalGas for local programs in 2022. One of the giving priorities of SoCalGas has long been STEM education in science, technology, engineering and math. SoCalGas wanted to help promote education toward upcoming generation.
As many residents may know, SoCalGas has a facility right here in Pico Rivera located off of Rosemead Boulevard. This facility houses a testing laboratory, and it’s where many of the SoCalGas engineers work. At the Rosemead Boulevard facility, new pipe materials and tools are tested, and right now SoCalGas is conducting research to learn about how hydrogen can be utilized for cleaner energy of the future. It is part of the SoCalGas mission to build the cleanest, safest, and most innovative energy company in America.
With the nearby facility and the ongoing research taking place there, the El Rancho Unified School District in Pico Rivera seemed like a perfect match for this particular grant opportunity. After reaching out to the District about the potential programs this grant could be used for, it was proposed that such a grant could be directed at helping to start a competitive robotics program at El Rancho High School. SoCalGas grant officials embraced the idea and accepted the application.
The grant check was presented by Brittany Viramontes, Community Relations Manager, and Julia Emerson, Public Affairs Manager, to District officials during a board meeting held last month. This grant is being made available through the SoCalGas Community Investment Fund from the CA Community Foundation.
