CPS High School Interns to Spend Summer Documenting Transit History with CTA Red Line Extension Project

CPS High School Interns to Spend Summer Documenting Transit History with CTA Red Line Extension Project

CHICAGO – This summer, two Class of 2025 graduates and a rising senior from Corliss Early College STEM High School will have a front-row view of one of Chicago’s most transformative infrastructure projects — the 5.5-mile Red Line Extension (RLE). As licensed drone pilots, the students will document the early stages of construction through a unique internship with the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and its construction management contractor, REDefine Southside Partners Joint Venture (RSP-JV).

This marks the second year of a groundbreaking partnership between Chicago Public Schools (CPS), CTA, and RSP-JV that brings real-world STEM experiences to CPS high school students, directly in their community. Corliss, located in the Pullman neighborhood within the project footprint, offers a drone certification program where students gain the skills and credentials to become licensed commercial drone pilots — and now, professionals in training on a historic city project.

“CTA is more than just a bus and rail system--we provide opportunities for the people in the communities we serve to learn and grow,” said CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen. “Through our ongoing partnership with Chicago Public Schools, we are engaged in a one-of-a-kind and exciting initiative for area students to use their talents by working on a historic project within their community.”

Through this paid internship, Corliss rising senior Nahumy Inguez, who earned her FAA certification at just 14 years old, along with Corliss graduates Matthew Melvin and Deangelo Willis, will capture drone footage of the current site conditions and will track changes throughout the project. They’ll work closely with engineers, construction managers, and planners to understand the full scope of the project, while gaining exposure to industry software, career pathways in transportation and infrastructure, and project management fundamentals.

“We’re not just preparing students for future careers — we’re inviting them to shape the future of their communities,” said Dr. Macquline King, Ed.D., Interim Superintendent/CEO of Chicago

Public Schools. “This partnership is a powerful example of what happens when education, public investment, and opportunity intersect. These students are proving what’s possible when we invest in talent and trust our young people to lead.”

“REDefine Southside Partners Joint Venture is excited to be part of the Corliss High School drone pilot internship program for a second year,” said Justin Elliott, Deputy Construction Manager. “We look forward to the contributions of these exceptional students and the opportunity to teach them about construction management, engineering, and business.”

CTA aims to continue this internship each summer throughout the life of the RLE project.

Red Line Extension Overview:

The CTA Red Line Extension is a $3.6 billion project that will extend the Red Line from the 95th Street Terminal to 130th Street, adding four fully accessible stations and a new rail yard. Designed to improve access, reliability, and economic opportunity for residents of the Far South Side, the project is expected to cut commute times to the Loop by up to 30 minutes. Construction is set to begin in 2026 and finish by the end of 2030.

For more information, visit transitchicago.com/RLE.

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is dedicated to providing a high-quality education to all students, beginning with the District’s free full-day preschool programming for four-year-old scholars and continuing through neighborhood, magnet and selective-enrollment elementary and high schools that provide a rigorous K-12 education with schools that specialize in the fine arts, world language and culture, dual language, STEM, International Baccalaureate (IB), classical programs, and more. The rising District-wide freshmen-on-track and high school graduation rates reflect the hard work of the CPS community, including families, staff, and students across 635 schools. CPS celebrates the diversity of its more than 325,000 students who cite 182 home languages. Learn more about CPS at www.cps.edu and connect with CPS on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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