In December, Jim Drendel, owner of Drendel’s Corner gas station in Huntley, presented a $500 check to Leggee Elementary School. The funds come out of a grant that is part of ExxonMobil’s commitment to support the funding of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs in communities across the country.
Over the past 20 years, ExxonMobil has contributed $40 million to its partner, the Educational Alliance, by teaming up with branded wholesalers, such as Drendel’s Corner, to reinvest in the communities they serve by empowering STEM education.
Through the grant, Drendel’s Corner has donated $500 annually to Leggee for the past 18 years, for a combined total of $9,000. The funds are used to provide the tools and technology needed to connect what students are learning in the classroom to the real world and our local community. The funds have been used to purchase classroom technology, science and math equipment, and most recently the money has helped support the robotics unit in the school’s Explore classrooms.
“Jim Drendel has been a great partner over these past several years,” said principal Scott Iddings. “His willingness to continue with these efforts is another great example of his passion for our students and the Huntley community.”
“Helping our youth and giving back to the community is something that is important to me,” said owner Jim Drendel, whose family has lived in Huntley since 1908. “By helping to drive success in our schools we forge a stronger bond with the great communities we serve.”
