Icebox Derby Girls Set to Race their Electric and Solar-Powered Refrigerator Cars in Showdown this Saturday
ComEd Media
Published: August 11, 2016
August 10, 2016
ComEd Media Line 312-394-3500
Icebox Derby Girls Set to Race their Electric and Solar-Powered Refrigerator Cars in Showdown this Saturday
“Black-ish” Star Yara Shahidi Emcees ComEd’s Icebox Derby STEM Competition
What: On Saturday, August 13, six teams of teenage women from across the Chicago area will compete in the official ComEd Icebox Derby Race Day, the final event of a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education program spearheaded by local electric utility, ComEd. Teams will race solar-powered cars they built from recycled refrigerators around a pop-up track at The Field Museum of Natural History.
Celebrity host Yara Shahidi will join ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore on-site to provide a play-by-play as the race action unfolds. Teams will compete in two race heats with STEM-themed challenges between laps. There will be four challenges in total; each one is hands-on and espouses a different aspect of the girls’ STEM knowledge. The race will test not only the girls’ speed and craftsmanship, but also their analytical skills and ability to work together to achieve a common goal.
To help encourage and inspire some of Chicago's brightest young women to pursue careers in STEM, ComEd has partnered with the Chicago Urban League, Operation PUSH, Girls4Science, ASPIRA, and the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana on this initiative.
New to this year’s program, the young women are exploring STEM through the scope of renewable energy, building and powering parts of their cars with solar technology. The public is encouraged to get involved by taking a selfie in the sun and tagging or tweeting #HelpGirlsShine.
Winners will receive scholarship money toward continued education in science, technology, engineering and math. The event is open to the public and will feature engaging activities for those watching the action.
To relive all the ComEd Icebox Derby action to date, or for more information on this year’s participants, program or official Race Day, please visit www.theiceboxderby.com or follow along on social media with the hashtag #IceboxDerby.
When: Saturday, August 13, 2016
(All times in CT)
1:30 – 3 pm Media check in; pre-race interviews with
contestants and program spokespersons
2 pm Event opens to the public
3 pm Opening remarks
3:20 pm Race commences
4:40 pm Awards ceremony and closing remarks
5 pm Race concludes
Who:
- Anne Pramaggiore, President and CEO of ComEd
- Yara Shahidi, Hollywood actress from “Black-ish” and host of ComEd’s Third Annual Icebox Derby
- ComEd Icebox Derby contestants (30 girls, ages 13-18)
- Local elected officials and honored guests
- Representatives from the Chicago Urban League, Operation PUSH, ASPIRA, Girls4Science and Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana
- Team mentors comprised of female ComEd engineers
Where: The Field Museum of Natural History (East Parking Lot)
1400 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605
The east parking lot is located between the museum and Soldier Field. For more information on how to get there, visit the directions page on Field Museum’s website.
More:
- Interviews: ComEd Icebox Derby spokespeople, representatives from participating organizations and the Derby’s young women participants will all be available for interviews; celebrity host Yara Shahidi will also be available to press after the race
- Photo ops:
o Engaging visuals, teams of girls, completed icebox derby cars racing around a track
o Energetic Race Day event complete with audience, pit crews, officials, opening and closing remarks and an awards ceremony
About ComEd’s Icebox Derby
ComEd’s Icebox Derby is a multi-week challenge designed 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 Refrigerator & Freezer Recycling Rewards Program aimed at driving energy efficiency, the ComEd Icebox Derby supports the company’s commitment to creating sustainable and innovative solutions for the region. The public can track each team’s progress while learning about 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 10 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.
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Posted in Business News, Education Initiatives