From STEM to STEAM: Students Explore Solar Power, Solar Art

For the past three years, ComEd has celebrated Black History Month by hosting Solar Spotlight, a hands-on educational program designed to inspire African-American high school students to pursue careers in STEM – science, technology, engineering and math.

Now in its fourth year, this year’s Solar Spotlight included an artistic component to encourage the 60 students from Chicago and Rockford to explore STEM via The Arts. This year, ComEd added the “A” for art to STEM to create STEAM.

Students worked with Bronzeville-based artist Shala, his company the Movement Worldwide, and Gallery Guichard to decorate a 7-foot solar-powered art installation which will be unveiled in the Bronzeville neighborhood this spring.

ComEd engineers served as mentors to teach students about solar energy, African-American trailblazers, and the earliest forms of STEAM via African history. Students participated in two seminars at the Chicago Training Center.

Watch the video to learn more about this year’s Solar Spotlight event.