Past participants of Adler’s STEAM youth engagement programs, which have benefited from opportunities partially supported by contributions from the S&C Electric Company Fund (Photo Provided).
The Adler Planetarium got a significant boost in its mission to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and problem-solvers.
Thanks to a $1 million gift from the S&C Electric Company Fund, the historic lakefront museum will expand its youth engagement efforts across Chicago, especially in STEAM education—science, technology, engineering, arts, and math.
The funding will help Adler deepen its long-running commitment to providing hands-on, immersive learning experiences for young people from across the city. And for S&C Electric Company, a Chicago-based innovator in electric grid solutions, the partnership is about more than just dollars.
“The Adler and S&C share a very important goal: to make science accessible and inclusive for Chicago’s youth,” said Audris Wong, the Adler’s interim President and CEO. “This gift will help us directly engage young people in exploring the universe, where they’ll make discoveries and solve problems together.”
S&C’s relationship with Adler dates back to 2009. What started with a single student and one school partner has grown into a robust network of youth programming that reaches thousands of teens each year. Over time, S&C has become one of the museum’s strongest allies in expanding access to careers in science and technology—especially for youth who might not otherwise see themselves in those spaces.
The gift will support several cornerstone initiatives at the Adler:
Summer Internships
The Adler’s summer internships place Chicago teens in professional roles across the museum, learning professional communication and teamwork skills and gaining experience in space visualization and computer science. Interns work as paid employees in placements with managers across the departments.
Far Horizons Teens
Far Horizons Teens is a semester-long program through which Chicago high school students carry out cutting-edge research into light pollution and its effects.
According to Adler leaders, the broader goal is to ensure young people don’t just learn about science—they live it. Programs encourage teens to take on leadership roles, tackle real-world problems, and connect with peers from every corner of the city.
With the help of partners like S&C, the Adler is turning curiosity into action and helping young Chicagoans chart their own path—to the stars and beyond.
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