ADRIAN — Young scientists from across southeast Michigan showcased their chemistry knowledge and problem-solving skills at the annual You Be the Chemist competition at Adrian High School’s Performing Arts Center on Feb. 24.
The event aims to inspire a love for science, promote STEM education, and highlight the importance of chemistry in everyday life.
This year, students from both Lenawee and Washtenaw counties put their chemistry knowledge to the test at the competition coordinated by the Lenawee Intermediate School District, Lenawee Now, and the Lenawee Chemical Collaborative.
The You Be the Chemist Challenge is a free competition for students in grades 5-8 developed by the Chemical Education Foundation, a national organization devoted to education in chemistry.
The event features small teams answering timed multiple-choice and short-answer questions related to chemistry concepts. In addition, participating teams will showcase their creativity by crafting a video response to this year’s national theme, proposing innovative solutions to real-world problems.
“You Be the Chemist is an excellent opportunity for our local students to engage in STEM in a fun and collaborative way. Students leave the event with new learning about chemistry as well as the chemical industry in Lenawee County,” said Jackie Murray, LISD Science Curriculum Consultant.
Murray noted that the competition expanded this year, with Blissfield Community Schools and a parent-led group from Washtenaw County joining the Adrian, Onsted and Tecumseh school districts.
“I hope this event continues to grow with more districts so that this experience may be available to more fifth to eighth graders,” she said.
A team from Tecumseh won the event, with a team from Onsted placing second and a team from Blissfield placing third. All local teams will have their regional results combined with their video scores to determine state winners. The top five teams amongst state winners will advance to the National Challenge in Houston, Texas this summer and compete for scholarships.
The LISD was joined in coordinating the event by the nonprofit economic development group Lenawee Now and its partners, the Align Center for Workforce Development and the Lenawee County Chemical Collaborative. The latter is a group consisting of Wacker Chemical, Anderson Development, Evonik, W2Fuel, and PPG.
