Local middle school students take chemistry challenge

Twenty junior high school students from Milton Pope, Seneca, Community Unit 2 and Waltham were among the competitors in the "You Be The Chemist Challenge," Feb. 25, at Seneca Grade School's South Campus.

Administered by the Chemical Educational Foundation in Arlington, Va., the scholastic bowl-style competition with a scientific chemical twist is a national contest with more than 30 states participating this year. Participants test their knowledge of chemistry, scientific history, the experimental process and a range of other science facts.

La Salle County top finishers were: First place, Victoria Glynn, Peru Parkside; second place, Brody Snook, Milton Pope School; and third place, Seth Ludford, Waltham Elementary; and alternate Breanna Sampo, Oglesby Washington.

Glynn, Snook and Ludford will compete in the state competition set for Saturday, April 25, at Illinois Benedictine University in Lisle. Top finishers at state competition will advance to June's national contest in Philadelphia.

The program included chemistry, climate science and forensic demonstrations by two professors. Dr. Salim Diab, Professor Emeritus of the University of St. Francis entertained the crowd with magic using chemistry with the help of a few student participants.

The intent of the challenge is to involve members of the chemical industry in outreach initiatives that encourage educators and students to learn more about chemistry. Executed in question-and-answer format, students are quizzed in the competition on chemistry-related subjects that become progressively more difficult. Engineers in the industry have commented that some of the questions cover college level material.

Contest operations and prizes are made possible through sponsorship of nine local companies: Air Products & Chemicals, Akzo Nobel Surface Chemistry, Aux Sable Liquids, Carus Corporation, Flint Hills Resources-Peru, Flint Hills Resources-Joliet, LyondellBasell Industries and PQ Corporation.

Patricia Neff, of Morris, was the coordinator for La Salle and Grundy counties since the inception of the YBTC and was instrumental in making the program successful in promoting and encouraging Science, Technology, Engineering and Math studies among junior high students.

Neff retired from the program this year and Kimberly Goffinet has taken over the coordinator responsibilities. Goffinet has been involved with the program as a parent of two participants and alternately as a judge for the past four years.

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Local middle school students take chemistry challenge