Aera sponsors Camp Keep for Wasco students

Aera Energy and Strata Credit Union have partnered to sponsor 380 Wasco elementary school students to attend Camp KEEP, a weeklong environmental education program in San Luis Obispo.

Camp KEEP, run by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office, provides hands-on learning experiences for students to explore and appreciate the natural world. Through interactive activities, students gain a deeper understanding of environmental science, ecology and conservation.

"Our donations provide the tuition, transportation and supplies for those students and highlight our shared commitment to supporting local education and environmental stewardship," Aera Community Outreach Specialist Joseph Lopez said, "We hope this experience will have lasting impacts and may even inspire them to pursue future careers in STEM fields. We hope this will provide Wasco students with unforgettable experiences that will have lasting impacts and spark their interest in future STEM."

Aera Energy is an oil and gas company committed to producing some of the oil and gas California depends on and fully committed to helping California achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. "We have tremendous resources available, from our land and infrastructure to our decades of expertise in energy production, to help support the energy transformation."

The company is based in Bakersfield, in one of the largest oil-producing regions in the nation – with additional operations in Ventura, Monterey and Fresno counties.

"As a California company, Aera is a long-time leader in the energy industry, continuously innovating to provide the oil and gas Californians need. Our company provides 25% of California's oil and gas," Lopez said.

Aera does more than just business in California, Lopez explained. "Particularly in the City of Wasco, we are active members of the community. We support various events through sponsorships, coat drives, community clean-ups, career days, and much more. As Aera seeks to improve lives outside our walls and within, we understand the value of a strong education in STEM fields as a gateway to good-paying jobs that further support our local economy but, most importantly, to improve the lives and livelihoods of Kern County residents."

California Resources Corporation will merge with Aera Energy in the second half of the year. "We are incredibly excited about the newly combined company and the tremendous value it unlocks."

Soon, Aera will launch its CarbonFrontier project at Aera's Belridge oil field, which is intended to help reduce emissions from local production. "Hopefully, it will also serve as a future catalyst for additional decarbonization efforts to help create a better energy future for California."

Lopez has a message for the Wasco community: "We are passionate about educating the next generation of scientists, engineers and teachers and supporting opportunities that help them realize their full potential. We hope to inspire the next generation of energy workers who will help California achieve its energy future at Aera or with other companies and industries right here at home."