Icebox Derby Challenges Teen Girls to Build Racecars from Recycled Refrigerators

Published: June 25, 2015

CHICAGO (June 25, 2015) – 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.

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Keywords: Chicago Urban League, ComEd, Girl Scouts, Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana, Girls, Girls4Science, Icebox Derby, Operation PUSH