OKLAHOMA CITY - Besides the millions of dollars it devotes to environmental restoration projects, the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board sponsors programs designed to educate the public, including school children, about the state’s oil and gas industry.
OKLAHOMA CITY - Besides the millions of dollars it devotes to environmental restoration projects, the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board sponsors programs designed to educate the public, including school children, about the state’s oil and gas industry.
For example, the OERB has developed a math/science curriculum for school students of all grade levels. According to Communications Director Dara McBee, the OERB provides educational opportunities, including K-12 curricula and online resources, for children of all ages.
“These materials provide teachers with STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] lessons that have real-world applications,” McBee said. The curricula “is written for Oklahoma teachers, by Oklahoma teachers,” she added.
The OERB provides “all the supplies a teacher needs to teach the curricula for free,” McBee said. “This can be up to $1,100 in STEM-related materials.” The OERB also provides scholarships for petroleum-related courses.
The agency offers scholarships to students studying petroleum-related fields at the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, or Tulsa University. Depending on each year’s budget, the amount of scholarships awarded can range up to $500,000, McBee said. To date, the OERB has spent $4.6 million on scholarships, she said.
In addition, the OERB has a group of industry professionals (“petro pros”) who “volunteer their time to give presentations” to Oklahoma school children, McBee said.