ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Jefferson High School is one of five Illinois schools chosen to receive a $50,000 grant to purchase an electric vehicle (EV) and charging station for its Driver’s Education program.

Utility provider ComEd announced it would provide $250,000 to local schools to give students first-hand experience driving EVs and learning about the vehicles.

Jefferson High School, in Rockford, Harvard High School, in Harvard, Dwight Township High School, in Dwight, Glenbard North High School, in Carol Stream, and Lane Tech College Prep High School, in Chicago, were named as the five new schools participating in the program.

ComEd has been providing an EVs for Education grant since 2020, and has awarded $700,000 to date at 14 schools across northern Illinois.

DeKalb High School was a recipient of the grant earlier this year, and added a new Chevrolet Bolt and charging station to the school’s Driver’s Ed program.

The grant provides $50,000 per school to add an EV to their existing vehicle fleet and purchase at least one Level 2 charger. In addition, the program will teach students how to identify the vehicle’s basic components, how to understand charging requirements and the different types of charging equipment, and how to charge the car.

ComEd is now accepting applications for the 2023 program year. Schools interested in participating are encouraged to apply now until the deadline of Dec. 31, 2022. The application can be found on ComEd’s website.

Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act has set a goal of having 1 million EVs on Illinois roads by 2030.