This is the sixth year that SDG&E is supporting educators through the DonorsChoose Crowdfunding Platform
SAN DIEGO, August 22, 2023 – With a new school year under way, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) 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.”
A long-standing advocate for STEM education and making it more accessible to students of all backgrounds, SDG&E first launched its partnership with DonorsChoose in 2018. 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. According to DonorsChoose, teachers spend an average of $500 out of pocket on their classrooms each year.
In support of educational equity, SDG&E will provide a double match (two to one) for eligible teacher projects at schools in disadvantaged communities as determined by the state’s CalEnviroScreen program. Eligible teachers can visit the DonorsChoose website to apply. The DonorsChoose matching fund program will run from today until funds are exhausted.
“SDG&E’s ongoing support provides teachers with much-needed resources to enrich the learning experiences for students across the region,” said San Diego County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Paul Gothold. “Thanks to SDG&E’s focus on equity, students from schools serving low-income communities have expanded access to STEM learning projects that make a connection between academic subjects and real-world applications.”
Over the past five years, SDG&E has provided a total of $1.4 million in matching funds to teachers for STEM projects. To date, the STEM collaboration between SDG&E and DonorsChoose has supported more than 2,100 teachers at more than 1,000 schools in a few dozen school districts throughout SDG&E’s service territory in San Diego and southern Orange counties.
SDG&E is an innovative energy delivery company that provides clean, safe and reliable energy to better the lives of the people it serves in San Diego and southern Orange counties. The company is committed to creating a sustainable future by increasing energy delivered from low or zero-carbon sources; accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles; and investing in innovative technologies to ensure the reliable operation of the region’s infrastructure for generations to come. SDG&E is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE). For more information, visit SDGEnews.com or connect with SDG&E on X (formerly Twitter) (@SDGE), Instagram (@SDGE) and Facebook.
The San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) is inspiring and leading innovation in education so that all students can thrive in a future without boundaries. The County Office helps the county’s school districts operate efficiently and with significant cost savings by leveraging resources to perform personnel tasks and provide staff development and other services. With a focus on equity, innovation, and career technical education, SDCOE directly educates more than 3,000 students at more than 20 sites each year and provides support services to more than 500,000 students across 42 school districts. For additional information on how SDCOE is innovating education and working to guarantee all students graduate prepared for college, career, and life, visit www.sdcoe.net or connect with @SanDiegoCOE on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
