Chevron and Discovery Channel Global Education Partnership Receive 2009 U.S. Chamber of Commerce Partnership Award

Chevron and the non-profit Discovery Channel Global Education Partnership (DCGEP) announced today that their collaboration to help educate students around the world has been awarded the 2009 Partnership Award by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Business Civic Leadership Center. The honor was presented during the 2009 Corporate Citizenship Awards at the U.S. Chamber's headquarters in Washington, D.C. on December 1.

Since 2002, Chevron and Discovery Channel Global Education Partnership have been revolutionizing education with 65 Learning Centers in underserved communities across Angola, Nigeria, South Africa, Venezuela and Brazil. Through the initiative, Learning Centers are established at school sites and teachers receive three years of in-depth training and mentoring, along with televisions, DVD players and libraries of high-quality, locally relevant educational videos to complement their lesson plans. To date, the Learning Centers established by Chevron and DCGEP have benefitted over 2,400 teachers, 104,000 students and 312,000 community members and produced astounding results, including increased student enrollment and heightened academic performance.

"While our work is simple, the results are exceedingly powerful. Seeing students' eyes light up when they first witness a space shuttle leave the Earth's orbit affirms the importance of our mission, and we are thrilled that the U.S. Chamber recognizes the commitment that Chevron and Discovery Channel Global Education Partnership make every day to students and communities," said Dr. Gail Ifshin, president, Discovery Channel Global Education Partnership. "We look forward to continuing to provide enriching educational opportunities in the classroom and beyond."

Founded in 1997, Discovery Channel Global Education Partnership inspires and empowers teachers and students in over 250 communities across four continents, leveraging Discovery Communications' vast library of content to create custom programming in conjunction with local educators. Through DCGEP, teachers learn to use video to enhance math and science curriculums and to connect students to other lands, cultures, and ideas. As a result, educational subjects are brought to life for students — from the anatomy of the brain to the world of astrophysics — filling a void often left by limited resources, years of civil war or other unique challenges. By working together, Chevron and DCGEP are transforming education and uncovering a world of opportunity for students, teachers and community members around the world.

"Our partnership with Discovery Channel Global Education Partnership is one of the ways we bring Chevron's commitment to local community development to life," said Rhonda Zygocki, vice president, Chevron Policy, Government and Public Affairs. "By investing in education in the communities where we operate, we are helping students around the world pursue their dreams and use their talents to enrich the places they call home."