Icebox Derby Challenges Teen Girls to Build Racecars from Recycled Refrigerators
June 25 2015 - 2:32PM
Business Wire
ComEd kicks off competition that inspires young
students to explore opportunities in STEM
Today ComEd kicked off the first-of-its-kind Icebox Derby
competition with 30 teen girls from across Chicagoland who will
work in teams to transform recycled refrigerators into electric
racecars. On August 15, the teams will put their cars to the test
in a head-to-head race with their fellow Icebox Derby Racers to
take home the STEM Cup, scholarship money and other prizes.
The Icebox Derby, a program launched by ComEd with participants
provided by their community partners, Girls4Science, Girl Scouts of
Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana, the Chicago Urban League and
Operation PUSH, is designed to educate and empower young women to
explore opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering and
math).
Data from the National Girls Collaborative project shows that
while women receive over half of bachelor’s degrees awarded in the
biological sciences, they receive far fewer in the computer
sciences, engineering, physics, and mathematics and statistics.
ComEd’s Icebox Derby is intended to help increase interest STEM and
awareness amongst women by providing a hands-on educational
platform by which girls, ages 13-18, get to work closely with
mentors -- technical experts from ComEd and college students
studying in the STEM fields -- to learn about practical
applications of STEM in the world and in the workforce. Important
lessons about teamwork and safety are also closely tied to this
initiative.
“For ComEd, technology and innovation are our life blood and we
are constantly looking toward the next set of technical challenges
and developing the workforce who will solve these challenges. We
believe it is our responsibility to create opportunities like the
Icebox Derby to offer hands-on experiences to young women in the
STEM subjects,” said Anne Pramaggiore, President and CEO of ComEd.
“As technology continues to change our world, we are dedicated to
helping these young, talented women see all the possibilities that
lie before them, including future careers here at ComEd.”
Each Icebox Derby contestant will received a $1,000 in
scholarship for completing the program and the first place winners
in the 2015 race will win to be revealed at a later date. Members
of last year’s winning team, Sonic Doom, are scheduled to attend a
week-long camp at National Flight School in Pensacola this
July.
Find out more about the program by visiting
www.theiceboxderby.com or search hashtag #Icebox Derby.
About the Icebox Derby
The Icebox Derby is a four-week challenge designed by ComEd to
empower young women to explore opportunities in STEM (science,
technology, engineering and math) through a challenging, hands-on
competition, where contestants work in teams to engineer race cars
from old refrigerators. By leveraging ComEd’s own Fridge &
Freezer Recycling Rewards program aimed at driving energy
efficiency, ComEd’s Icebox Derby supports the company’s commitment
to creating sustainable and innovative solutions for the region.
Learn more about the Icebox Derby and important STEM resources and
opportunities online at www.theiceboxderby.com.
About ComEd
Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) is a unit of Chicago-based
Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation’s leading competitive
energy provider, with approximately 6.6 million customers. ComEd
provides service to approximately 3.8 million customers across
northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state’s population. For
more information visit ComEd.com, and connect with the company on
Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150625006199/en/
ComEd Media Relations(312) 394-3500
Exelon (NYSE:EXC)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
Exelon (NYSE:EXC)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024