CHEMISTRY CLUB: IVCC chem students take part in national meeting
IVCC Chem Club members are participating in the National American Chemical Society Meeting in San Diego, Calif. and the Clean Water Celebration in Peoria.
From March 30 to April 3, 12 club members and advisor Robert Byrne will attend the national ACS meeting to accept the award of Outstanding Affiliate Chapter for last year’s activities.
The award is presented to approximately 30 of the more than 800 student affiliate chapters each year. This is the fifth consecutive year the IVCC group has won.
The IVCC chapter is also one of four groups asked to speak on how to have a successful student affiliate chapter. Byrne will be speaking to chapter advisors on the same topic.
Chem club members will also present a poster and do chemistry demonstrations at the meeting.
Representing IVCC in San Diego will be Lisa Kazmierczak, Ammie Liddle, Jenny Lischewski, Josh Kunkel, Justin Smith, Kristen Soberalski, Sarah Smith, Doug McConnoughhay, Tara Van De Wyngaerde Kara Harl, Hans Schmidt and Ben Hartenbower.
On March 19, four members of the club will perform pHun Chem shows in the Peoria Civic Center throughout the day. Byrne estimated that the group would perform for about 1,200 people attending the Clean Water Celebration.
Liddle, secretary of the club, said this was the fifth year the local group had been invited to participate in the Peoria event.
"It gives us an opportunity to expand our viewing audience, bringing our program to a variety of people of all ages," she said.
Club members participating are Kazmierzak, Soberalski, Justin Smith and Sarah Smith.
In February, the club hosted a River workshop and Boy Scout Merit Badge Workshop, both in the physical science lab.
The River Workshop on Feb. 15 was attended by 82 area high school students and teachers. The Boy Scout Workshop on Feb. 24 was given to about 20 Scouts who earned their chemistry merit badge.
"Both were very successful thanks to the many volunteers who helped from the various chemistry classes," Liddle said.