McKinley Park High Lights Up the Lab: Neighborhood School Dazzles at First-Ever STEM Night

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Mckinley Park · April 24, 2026

McKinley Park's newest school just made a seriously impressive debut on the science stage. Horizon Science Academy McKinley Park High, the neighborhood's brand-new public charter high school now occupying the former De La Salle Institute space at West 32nd Place and South Aberdeen Street, hosted its very first STEM Night on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 — and by all accounts, it was a showstopper.

Dozens of high school students set up booths showcasing real-world demonstrations of STEM topics, including hands-on projects tied to the school's vocational tracks in engineering and medicine. Highlights included sophomores Samantha Frances and Alexandra Rosario demonstrating the chemistry behind artificial snow, senior Mario Delgado firing up a Van de Graaff generator, and a team led by junior Jairo Mercado and senior Alejandro Cabrera presenting a roller-coaster physics demonstration. Chicago's Metropolitan Water Reclamation District was among the community partners on hand, connecting student learning to real civic institutions. Principal Seat Vedziovski called the event a milestone, emphasizing that STEM education at the school is about applying expertise to the world around us — not just science for science's sake. The school currently enrolls 320 students and is on track to grow to its target of 500.

For McKinley Park neighbors, STEM Night is a thrilling sign of what this young school is already building: a culture of curiosity, ambition, and community pride. Keep an eye on Horizon Science Academy McKinley Park High — this is just the beginning. Visit mckinleypark.news for more neighborhood education news.

Sources:
1. https://mckinleypark.news/news/8096-students-strut-science-at-mckinley-park-highs-stem-night