Local winners named in You Be the Chemist
More than 100 students from 35 middle schools in the suburban Chicago area participated in recent regional You Be the Chemist events in Des Plaines, Schaumburg and Lake Bluff.
Honeywell sponsored the events with a $6,000 grant and nearly 30 volunteers from its UOP business in Des Plaines worked with students, teachers, administrators and parents to support the event, which is in its 11th year.
"We are proud to be a part of the You Be the Chemist program because it helps spark students' interest in science during a critical time in their education," said Doug Nafis, a principal scientist for Honeywell's UOP Research and Development department who helped launch the competition in the area more than a decade ago.
"Science and math education is one of the core focus areas of Honeywell Hometown Solutions and this event helps to provide recognition for academic excellence comparable to the recognition that students receive for sports, music and other extracurricular activities."
The top three finalists, as well as an alternate from each region, advanced to the state competition April 25 at Benedictine University in Lisle, where they will compete to participate in the National Challenge June 22 in Philadelphia.
Schaumburg winners were Sachi Goel, eighth grade, Frost Junior High School in Schaumburg; Saurav Sumughan, eighth grade, Mead Junior High School in Elk Grove Village; and Alice Chen, seventh grade, Mead Junior High.
Des Plaines winners were Veronica Kleinschmidt, Algonquin Middle School in Des Plaines; Noah Northrop, Lincoln Middle School in Mount Prospect; and Benjamin Elias of River Trails Middle School in Mount Prospect.
Lake Bluff winners were Kelsey Foster, eighth grade, Christian Heritage Academy in Northfield; Eric Liu, sixth grade, Marie Murphy School in Wilmette; and Daniel Claud, eighth grade, Christian Heritage Academy in Northfield.
The event is sponsored by the Chemical Educational Foundation. For details, visit www.chemed.org.