ComEd Youth Ambassador Instructor

Summary of Position:
After School Matters is seeking temporary, part-time instructors to teach its ComEd Youth Ambassadors programs during the summer session for 20-25 high school participants between the ages of 14 to 20. The 2025 summer work schedule will being approximately May 5 and end August 1. The typical schedule for the summer session is as follows:

• Summer: 6 weeks starting June 18 - Aug 1, daily Monday through Thursday or Friday (based upon the program model), four instructional hours per day. Additional hours are allotted for planning, recruitment, professional development, and meetings.

Instructors will deliver an energy program for youth. The program will empower high school teens to become experts and advocates of efficient energy use in their communities. Teens will also attend career panels with scientists, engineers, and industry leaders that work in the energy field throughout Chicago.
Primary Focus: Teens will learn about ComEd’s smart grid, the installation and use of smart meters across the city of Chicago, and ComEd’s energy efficiency and sustainability programs. In addition, teens will learn about beneficial electrification as they explore ways to reduce or eliminate fossil fuels using electricity to power devices.

The optimal candidate will have a passion and skill for science, technology, engineering, math and youth development.
 

Instructors must have a program curriculum plan. See ASM Program Planner


Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Implement an engaging and hands-on energy management curriculum aligned with After School Matters program guidelines.
• Intentionally support critical youth development skills, including leadership development; community building; real-world and experiential learning; public speaking; youth voice and agency.
• Guide student presentations towards a culminating event at the end of the program.
• Provide instruction in, and lead teen participants though, inquiry-based discovery methods, including but not limited to, Instructor demonstrations, hands-on activities, research, oral presentations, etc.
• Establish and maintain a rigorous and cooperative learning environment where students flourish, taking in account varied learning strategies and best practices that address diverse abilities and backgrounds
• Throughout the session, build multiple STEM projects with students through a collaborative, integrative approach
• Intentionally expose teen participants to the varied STEM professions
• Attend all planning and program dates, including Instructor orientation, professional development workshops, meetings and other required sessions
• Participate in the recruitment, interview, and selection process of participants
• Maintain a safe, engaging, and positive environment for program participants
• Provide supervision during program field trips and other youth engagement opportunities
• Manage and track program activities such as attendance, interview outcomes, enrollment, evaluation surveys, and pertinent student records in an online data tracking system (CitySpan).
• Report all problems or concerns and program updates to After School Matters Program Specialist to maintain consistent lines of communication throughout the program session
• Supervise 20-25 teen participants

• Bachelor’s degree in science, Technology, Engineering, Math; preferred but not required
• Content area knowledge in energy, physics, engineering, math, or a related field
• Experience working with issues of energy management and conservation
• Experience planning and organizing outreach events
• Demonstrated ability to teach formal and informal technique in one of the relevant disciplines in group settings with a minimum class of 20 students
• Be knowledgeable of the relationship between Science, Technology, Engineering and Math and real-world experiences
• Broad knowledge of relevant STEM terms and definitions
• Enthusiastic about STEM and teaching through an integrative model
• Experience working with groups of people (teenagers and adults)
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Must be organized and possess a strong attention to detail

• Summer: 6 to 7 weeks, daily Monday through Friday, four instructional hours per day. Additional hours are allotted for planning, recruitment, professional development and meetings. Exact program meeting days/times are flexible, with some restrictions, so long as instructional hours are met.
• After School Matters has four program branches: North/Northwest, South/Southwest, Downtown, and Program Supports (special initiatives). Please note that Interstate-55 is an approximate dividing line between our North/Northwest and South/Southwest branches.  This role is for the North/Northwest Branch at the 3435 N. Cicero Ave location.

Compensation: $20-27 salary/per hour, depending on applicable experience and education

Organizational Summary: After School Matters is a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that annually offers after-school and summer programs to nearly 19,000 Chicago high school teens to explore and develop their talents while gaining critical skills that will set them up for success in college and beyond.

Thirty years later, now known as After School Matters, our program has engaged more than 350,000 Chicago teens and is the nation’s largest and most successful provider of after-school and summer programs for high school teens. No other organization offers programs to high school students at the scale and quality that we do.

We offer paid apprenticeships led by professionals in the fields of arts, communications and leadership, sports, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). Our nationally respected youth development model has been replicated in cities across the country and earned us the City Livability Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Programs take place at community locations throughout the city, including three ASM buildings: downtown at Gallery 37 Center for the Arts, the Michael and Karyn Lutz Center in Belmont Cragin, and the Pullman community at Gately Park. Currently, After School Matters' annual operating budget is approximately $35M and employs approximately 500 staff across the organization. For more information, visit www.afterschoolmatters.org.

EEO:  After School Matters is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status, military discharge status, age, marital status, parental status, or source of income.