ComEd Icebox Derby lets science- and math-savvy girls explore STEM
Something magical is happening in an unremarkable red brick garage in Chicago.
Young girls are becoming leaders, showing maturity well beyond their ages.
Dreams of becoming mechanical engineers, nurses and biologists are brewing.
And recycled refrigerators are being turned into cars.
Six teams of five teenagers - 15 from the suburbs and 15 from Chicago - were given just four days to convert old, white "iceboxes" into small, colorful, motorized vehicles that they'll race Saturday outside the Field Museum.
It's all part of ComEd's second annual Icebox Derby, which gives young women a chance to explore opportunities in the science, technology, engineering and math (also known as STEM) fields, hands-on.
"I love this program," said ComEd's Chief Executive Officer Anne Pramaggiore. "We liked the idea of looking forward to the future, we liked the idea of bringing girls into something that was experimental, and where they could apply STEM. We're a technology company and a technical company so that's just natural for us."
Pramaggiore is the first woman to lead ComEd. It's clear, she said, that females are underrepresented in STEM jobs.
"A lot of girls will be very interested in math or science in elementary school and then you tend to see a drop off in interest in the teen years," Pramaggiore said. "We wanted to recapture their interest," she said.
Participants in this year's Icebox Derby are ages 13 to 18. Many were recruited through the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana, Girls 4 Science and the Chicago Urban League.
The teams - with such names as Fast and Flawless, Royal Burn, and Ice Bolts - came together for the first time early last month.
Participants and their parents were pleasantly surprised when they stepped into the Near West Side garage, a fusion of girlie teenagerhood and dad's garage: pastel banners sporting each team's name and pop music amid pieces of sheet metal and wooden pegboards.
"We saw the fridge over in the corner, all fridge-looking and not at all looking like a car, and we saw a piece of black metal (the chassis) and it didn't even have the wheels on it. So yeah, it didn't look like a car at all," said Veronica Kleinschmidt, 14, of Des Plaines.
Over the course of four workshops, the girls installed tires, a motor, a battery and an mp3 player on each car. They learned about gears, electricity, circuits, sprockets and tire pressure. And they had opportunities to use a lot of tools: electric saws, wrenches, screwdrivers, air compressors and tire irons.
Most girls were quick to say their favorite part of the building experience was sawing doors into the recycled iceboxes.
"Boys get a lot more credit for being mechanics and everything, but I think girls can do it too," said Taylor Stapinski, 15, of Winfield. "I think this is just an amazing place to get started and get the word out about (STEM). They guide us and they let us do the work, too."
Those guides include women who work for ComEd or are currently pursuing STEM-related degrees. DePaul student Jacqueline Passehl said she decided to sign up as a mentor because she felt the Icebox Derby could have a positive impact on the girls, much like her middle school robotics team had on her decision to pursue a career in computer science.
"It made me realize what I wanted to be when I grew up, which is kind of amazing," she said. "I think more kids should experience that."
Parents and organizers say it's clear the girls are walking away with more than increased knowledge and interest in STEM.
Lead mentor and ComEd engineer Katherine Daniels said the girls are learning about teamwork, communication, planning and adapting to changing situations.
"It is just amazing working with these young ladies," she said. "They're developing their creativity. Sometimes all of the criteria of what you need to do may not be provided and you have to fill in the blanks. You're just told what the end picture is supposed to be, and sometimes that might not even be so clear. It's an iterative process."
When the girls race Saturday, their cars will reach a top speed of 15 mph. Roughly 300 to 400 people are expected to attend, cheering on the teams as they compete in three races, or heats.
Veronica's mother, Silvia La Falce, said she was glad the program was limited to girls because it gave them a chance "to see that they can do it, to feel free to try different things."
"I don't think any of these girls would have any problem telling a boy, 'I'm doing this!' but still, it's nice to feel the freedom of being around girls and prove that you can do it yourselves," she said.
Carissa Lehning, 15, of Elk Grove Village, already recognizes that. Prior to participating in the Icebox Derby, her high school adviser asked if she wanted to enroll in all-girls class for engineering. She said no because she felt the classroom environment wouldn't accurately reflect what she'll face one day in the engineering field.
"It's no secret that engineering is a male-dominated field and I just figured the sooner I put myself into that environment the better," she said. "So, I choose the coed class and there was only one other girl in it."
Mackenna Clayton, 13, of Lombard said she would encourage other girls who are interested in science or math to apply to the program next year.
"I've made so many friends that I never would have met. It's just a great thing to do," she said. "I really think that it boosts girls' self esteem, being able to do it. It's usually guys doing all this and I really don't like that it's a stereotypical guy thing. I would like to change it to a stereotypical girl thing."
Mackenna's father, Michael Clayton, studied biology and had always hoped his daughter would embrace the sciences. He was excited for her when she was accepted to the Icebox Derby program, but unsure how much she would learn.
"When I heard about this I thought, 'Whatever, they're going to turn a refrigerator into a car.' I thought they were going to stick some wheels on a refrigerator and push it down a hill," he said. "I had no idea what she was really getting into and I am so grateful. This is a class act."
For the first three workshops, Michael sat in his car, for fear of being overprotective if he went inside.
"I didn't want to influence her," he said. "I've stayed back because I want Mackenna to go forth and explore. I wanted her to do her own thing."
But at the last workshop he couldn't resist, so he went inside to take photos and admire the girls' work.
He felt the magic. He felt pride. And for a moment, he was at a loss for words.
"I love this opportunity for her," he said, before pausing again to reflect. "Girls need to be pushed in this direction. We have to break down the gender barrier and let her embrace the wonders of science. It's a new era."