DeKalb High School charged up over electric vehicles

DEKALB, Ill. (WIFR) – Thanks to a $50,000 grant from ComEd, Dekalb High School students in the driver’s education class can learn about electric vehicles and get behind the wheel of one.

The grant is part of ComEd’s EVs for Education program which was launched in 2019 to connect schools to the future of transportation. The funds helped the school buy a Chevy Bolt and a charging station for almost 150 students to learn about electric vehicles.

DeKalb High School is one of 14 schools in northern Illinois to participate in the EV program. They got the vehicle before the start of the school year for students who take the driver’s education class.

“Opening up these avenues is a good opportunity for our kids and it’s good for our future,” says Driver’s Education teacher Mark Sykes. “Instantly they can tell that there’s a difference but the acceleration feature and the noise, it feels different when you drive it and ride it.”

Sykes applied for the grant. He says it’s not every day high school students get to learn about what makes up an electric vehicle and drive a car that doesn’t primarily run on gas. The driver’s education program has two gas vehicles in addition to the electric vehicle.

“We’re rotating through the teachers and it’s exciting for us to get in there too and ride in the car and watch the kids develop and drive and become accustomed to a different type of vehicle.”

Javonta Schaffer is a sophomore at Dekalb High School. He enjoys the chance to drive the Chevy Bolt to help him get his driver’s license.

“It’s a new environment and something different than what I drive at home,” says Schaffer. “It was a different setting getting into the car with all the cool features. Like who would think that a car would have a steering wheel warmer?”

“We want to have opportunities for kids to drive these wonderful Evs and be exposed to it and take these wonderful learning outside the classroom,” says ComEd External Affairs Manager Nick Escobar.

“Thank you to ComEd and our students at DHS are looking forward to driving the car in the future,” says Schaffer.

ComEd is accepting applications for the 2023 program. They have $250,000 set aside in grants for interested high schools. The application closes on Dec. 31. A copy of the application can be found on their website.

This is also part of the state’s Climate Equitable Jobs Act to have one million EVs on the road by 2030.

Earlier this year, DeKalb Mayor Cohen Barnes worked with ComEd to unveil an EV charger downtown.

Related Posts