OUR PARTNER

Southside STEM Station — where the AI Skills Lab happens.

A community-rooted STEM hub in Hyde Park, opened in May 2025 by Hyde Park Labs, in partnership with University of Chicago Civic Engagement. That’s where 20 students will spend their summer building with AI.

May 29, 2025

OPENED · CRAIN’S

Hyde Park

1520 E HARPER CT

UChicago

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

AI & STEM

QUANTUM, INFO SCIENCE

Why we partnered with them

Real impact in a community doesn’t come from parachuting in for a summer. It comes from standing alongside people who’ve already been doing the work — who know the families, the schools, the kids by name.

South Side STEM Station is exactly that. The space opened in May 2025, in partnership with the University of Chicago’s Civic Engagement office, and was designed from day one as a hands-on hub for South Side youth to engage with the technologies shaping the next decade: artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and information sciences. It already houses the STEM City Chicago Metaverse & Esports Innovation Center, hosts Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy Youth Outreach programs, and runs the Female Strong / Girl Gonna Launch entrepreneurship boot camp.

When we started designing AI Skills Lab, the question wasn’t “who could host this?” It was “where would twenty South Side students actually want to spend their summer?” The answer was already there.

"Advances in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and information sciences" are at the center of what Southside STEM Station is building toward on the South Side.

— Crain’s Chicago Business, May 29, 2025, “Building the future of STEM on the South Side”

What we're doing together — Summer 2026

A free, 8-week summer program for 20 high schoolers, anchored at South Side STEM Station. Students learn AI fundamentals, write Python, build with modern AI APIs, and ship a community-rooted capstone project. Demo Day is August 24, 2026.

WEEKS 1–2

AI Foundations

What ML actually does, how LLMs work, prompt craft, and responsible AI.

WEEKS 3–4

Code & Data

Python and data essentials in Replit and Colab — built for beginners.

WEEKS 5–6

Build with AI

Hands-on with the Claude API, image generation, and simple agentic patterns.

WEEKS 7–8

Capstone & Demo

Students prototype a community-rooted tool and present to family + mentors.

What Southside STEM Station brings

  • The space. A real lab in Hyde Park where students already gather.
  • The relationships. Trusted recruiting channels with CPS South Side schools.
  • The continuity. Family relationships built over years, not weeks.
  • The future. Continuation programming after the pilot ends.

What accentedge Foundation brings

  • Curriculum & instruction. AI-native pedagogy, industry-current tools.
  • Industry mentors. Working engineers and PMs from partner companies.
  • API & tool access. Claude API, dev tools, and credits to build with them.
  • Wraparound support. Software, devices, and AI tool access so every student can fully participate.
IN THE PRESS

South Side STEM Station officially opened its doors on May 29, 2025 — covered in Crain’s Chicago Business as part of UChicago’s commitment to “Building the future of STEM on the South Side.”

Crain’s Chicago Business · May 29, 2025

Help us fund the cohort.

$25,000 funds the full 8-week pilot for 20 students. $1,250 funds one student start-to-finish.

Donate now

accentedge Foundation • In partnership with South Side STEM Station • 1520 E Harper Ct, Chicago, IL 60615