As the old saying goes, “Sometimes you can’t see the trees for the forest.” So, for the past 13 years the Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS) partnering with the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) and the American Petroleum Institute - San Joaquin Valley Chapter has been providing teachers with the opportunity to learn about one of Kern County’s major industries — oil. Every summer in July they collaborate to present a three-day seminar in Bakersfield called Derricks to Desks. This year, approximately 30 classroom teachers from Kern County and California’s southern coastal counties attended. It is designed to give participating teachers a first-hand look at the petroleum industry with the intention to incorporate what they learn into their classroom curriculum. All that was learned did not merely originate in classroom seminars and discussions — although plenty of that took place in Bakersfield’s University Square. More