West Hills has a long and strong partnership with Chevron. They are May's Gold Star Partner of the Month.
West Hills Community College Coalinga has a long history of partnership with Chevron. Chevron has been a generous donor to scholarships and programs alike, reaching both college and K-12 students in the Coalinga community and service area. Chevron is the sponsor of the annual Chevron Fun Physical Science Camp at Coalinga College, exposing elementary and middle school students to science and math. They have also supported scholarships and wider West Hills Community College District initiatives as well as a scholarship at Lemoore College.
"Chevron is committed to investing in the communities where we operate," said Megan Lopez, Chevron Public Affairs Representative. "This is especially true here in Fresno County, where we’ve operated safely and reliably in the Coalinga Oil Field for well over 100 years. As one of the many employers in the Central Valley, we understand very well the demand for STEM based jobs in our region, and we are proud to partner with great local educational institutions like West Hills Community College to support programs that encourage students to pursue STEM education and STEM careers."
Just a few of the projects Chevron has supported include:
- Chevron Fun Physical Science Camp. For several years, Chevron has sponsored the annual
Chevron Fun Physical Science Camp. The free camps are geared toward elementary school
students and focus on hands-on physical science with the goal of encouraging the students
to explore STEM fields: science, technology, engineering and math. This year will
feature camps in Huron, Mendota and Coalinga. Students from 2nd grade to 7th grade
will attend the camps and
learn about physical science and scientific principles through fun, hands-on projects: everything from making ice cream to building their own volcanoes.
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In 2017, Chevron donated $65,000 to the West Hills Community College Foundation to fund the fun physical science camps, along with other West Hills College programs including the President’s Scholars scholarship program, the 5c summer camp at Lemoore College, and the Lemoore College Engineering program.
- Robotics Challenge. This year, Chevron sponsored the 1st Annual MESA/Chevron Robotics
Challenge. The challenge involved students from
Avenal High School, Coalinga High School and Mendota High School putting robots they built to the test against a series of obstacles. Approximately 30 to 40 students from the three local high schools competed in a series of 3 “robotic skills” tests. Chevron has previously sponsored other robotics competitions in the area.
- Chevron is a reccuring sponsor of West Hills Community College District's Essential Elements Series, WHCCD's premier public and private policy series. The series, which has covered topics ranging from agriculture to healthcare, gathers leaders from all over the state to discuss issues affecting the San Joaquin Valley. http://www.essentialelementsseries.com/healthcare-workforce/