ComEd’s Hispanic Heritage Month STEM Lab Inspires Next Generation of STEM Leaders
October 15, 2025
On a Saturday morning, you wouldn’t expect to walk past an office conference room to hear upbeat music and the sound of 50 excited high school students hard at work on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) projects, but that’s just what happened at ComEd’s Chicago North Headquarters during the last weekend of Hispanic Heritage Month 2025.
ComEd’s Chief Operating Officer, David Perez, connecting with students
Students from across Chicagoland came together to work with ComEd mentors to learn about various careers in STEM, how solar technology works and benefits communities and how to solder electronic components. Their learnings culminated in each student crafting a portable solar battery charger, having been responsible for the soldering and wiring of the equipment and assembly of the charger enclosure. Each student also received a $250 scholarship to help continue their STEM education.
Throughout the day, ComEd mentors shared their personal experiences with STEM to help students understand the real-world applications STEM careers can have. The event was more than just a STEM workshop, it was a celebration of culture, community and the power of possibility.
With many of the students at this program thinking about college and career opportunities, the day served as an opportunity to spark curiosity and give students the opportunity to envision themselves as future engineers, scientists and changemakers.
Julian working on his soldering project
One student, Julian, a senior at George Westinghouse College Prep, shared that out of all areas of STEM, he is most interested in engineering, and is in the process of applying to university engineering programs for next school year, because he sees engineering as his way to best contribute to his community and to the world.
“I want to apply my strengths in math and science in a creative format. I’m not good at painting or singing, but I love to be creative. I want to find a way to mix those [math, science and creativity] and engineering feels like the right mix. My ultimate goal is to work as an engineer focused on electric vehicle (EV) batteries to that they can be more efficient and more accessible to consumers.”
He shared that coming to programs like ComEd’s STEM Labs help give him a unique hands-on experience with STEM and connect him with more STEM-interested people.
“It was really cool seeing everyone in the room tackle the same problem, but approach it from different ways. That’s what makes engineering so beautiful. Anyone can solve the same problem, but not always in the same way. I would highly recommend anyone interested in STEM check these programs out.”
The Hispanic Heritage Month STEM Labs program is one of many ways ComEd is working to ensure that the future of STEM and the future energy workforce reflects the communities it serves. By empowering young people today, we are helping build a brighter future. To learn more about other STEM programs at ComEd, visit ComEd.com/STEM.
