VIA Times – July 2014 Issue Vital News, Vibrant Views for Asian Americans in Chicago & Midwest
By: Christian & Maya Leighton
CPRTV’s David Rivas at Piyesta Pinoy Bolingbrook, experiencing the typical sighst and tastes of children in the Philippines, riding a jeepney and enjoying an ice cream cone from “mamang sorbetero
NyChelle Opina and her cousin Nathan Miranda savor the Chicago summer at their Tita Elsie Sy-Niebar’s backyard with Lilies in bloom! (esnphoto)
The Leightons having so much summer fun, (1) Maya, Christy & Christian, after joining a summer marathon; (2) Bobby, Christy, Christian and Maya at Lake Charlevoix, Michigan,during the July 4th Holiday weekend.
COM ED’S “AFTER SCHOOL MATTERS”
CHICAGO (June 30, 2014) – This summer, ComEd is partnering with a number of nonprofit organizations to offer more than 250 Chicagolandarea students opportunities to gain valuable work experience through internships and other educational programs. For the second consecutive year, ComEd is partnering with After School Matters to employ 110 high school students through its Youth Ambassador program. The students, ages 14 to 18, will have opportunities to learn first-hand from industry experts about the benefits of smart meters and wise energy use. The students will then serve as ComEd ambassadors at local community events throughout the summer, helping peers, neighbors and residents better understand how they can take advantage of smart meter technology, as well as the simple steps they can take to better manage their energy use. “I feel fortunate to have been able to participate in the Youth Ambassador program in 2013 because it transformed my future,” said Alan Nguyen, a Whitney Young High School student. “The program helped me understand smart meter technology and motivated me to become an electrical engineer. I would highly recommend the Youth Ambassador program to my friends and fellow students as it possibly might be a stepping stone for their careers.” In addition, the utility is providing more than 100 college students the opportunity to intern with ComEd this summer. The interns are assigned to various departments across the company for a threemonth period. Participating students gain hands-on working experience that they can take back to the classroom when they return in the fall. The job experience also serves as a window into careers and employment opportunities in the energy industry. “At ComEd we believe it is our obligation to continually look for ways to implement and build on programs that provide tangible benefits to the communities we serve,” said Anne Pramaggiore, president and CEO of ComEd. “These summer programs serve a dual purpose. They help students acquire job skills and learn more about career choices in the energy industry, while also allowing us to engage the future workforce.” This summer, the utility will also launch two new student programs with the Urban Alliance and University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) program. Through Urban Alliance, ComEd will provide four high school and three college students with internships. Additionally, through the UIC STEM Program, 20 high school students will take on-campus engineering and STEM classes at UIC. This program helps students make a smooth transition from high school to college. Furthermore, 12 students from the Rowe-Clark Math & Science Academy and Exelon’s Stay-in- School initiative in which ComEd volunteers provide tutoring, social engagement skill-building, parent workshops, and one-on-one mentoring in a seven-month program throughout the year, will serve as interns at ComEd and Exelon. ComEd is also partnering with Faith in Place to put eight students through a six-week fellowship program focused on environmental learning and leadership development. For more than 100 years, ComEd has been committed to serving the communities where its customers and employees live, work and raise their families.
# # # Commonwealth Edison Company
