100 Local Students Participate in STEM Program to Improve Diversity in STEM

Lawndale News Chicago's Bilingual Newspaper - Education

For the second year, ComEd is sparking curiosity among Chicagoland high school students by bringing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education to their homes through ComEd STEM Home Labs. The program was created during the COVID-19 pandemic to safely continue to bring STEM programming and mentorship to Black and Hispanic students, as women and people of color continue to be dramatically underrepresented in STEM fields. Students received ComEd STEM Home Lab kits with materials needed for the three build days. Over the course of the build days, students worked to build mini, wirelessly-controlled rovers, coded for the rovers, and installed cameras to find the lost rovers and explore Mars. Students learned from influential scientists while collaborating with other students interested in pursuing STEM-related careers. STEM programming and mentorship at an early age are keys to pursuing these career opportunities. According to Pew Research, Black and Hispanic workers also continue to be underrepresented in the STEM workforce. Black workers make up 11 percent of the U.S. workforce overall but represent 9 percent of STEM workers, while Hispanic workers comprise 16 percent of the U.S. workforce but only 7 percent of all STEM workers.  Other ComEd programs include Solar Spotlight events during Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month, and the ComEd Icebox Derby for Chicagoland girls. 

Lawndale News Chicago's Bilingual Newspaper - Education

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