Chemical Education Today
Association Report: ACS Education Division
ACS-Sponsored High School Chemistry Clubs by Terri Taylor
When chemistry professionals and enthusiasts are asked to identify the origin of their interest in the chemical enterprise, many point to an engaging high school chemistry course or an inspiring high school chemistry teacher. They often do this with great enthusiasm. Club Activities To cultivate the interest of current high school students in the chemical enterprise, the ACS Education Division is piloting a new program: High School Chemistry Clubs. The mission of these clubs is to invite, motivate, and encourage high school students who are fascinated by the many ways that chemistry connects to their world. With the assistance of the ACS, these clubs are designed to provide fun, authentic, and hands-on opportunities for their members so that they can experience chemistry beyond what is taught in the classroom, to learn about study and career opportunities in the many and varied fields of chemistry, and to provide service for the betterment of their communities. A wide variety of schools and students are participating in the Chemistry Clubs program, and clubs may differ based on the needs and interests of their members. As a result, the faculty sponsor and student members at each school determine their club’s overall goals and direction. Some clubs focus their efforts on community service such as chemical demonstration shows for elementary students or cleaning up streams. Others decide to use the chemistry club as an opportunity to spend time outside of class to carry out laboratory investigations or to have a social venue for students who share an interest in the chemical sciences. Resources for Clubs To support the high school chemistry clubs—as they begin and as they grow—the ACS Education Division is providing a variety of resources. The start-up handbook, received by each faculty sponsor, includes a charter application, sample bylaws, information about ACS-sponsored activities such as National Chemistry Week and Chemists Celebrate Earth Day, ideas for service-learning activities, suggested protocol for inviting speakers, safety documents, and laboratory investigations that are fun to do. Also provided are practical documents including “How to Organize Your High School Chemistry Club” and “Steps to Establishing Your High School Chemistry Club”. The handbook also contains information on undergraduate study in chemistry, careers in chemistry, and contact information for Local Sections and Student Affiliate Chapters. Then throughout the school year, clubs continue to receive resources from the ACS Education Division. These include ideas for club activities, tips for National Chemistry Week and Chemists Celebrate Earth Day celebrations, Education Division resources such as ChemMatters articles, and 584
Journal of Chemical Education
•
updates on Education Division programs of interest (such as Project SEED and Chemistry Olympiad). Clubs also receive selected reprints of JCE resources such as Classroom Activities and articles to support their continued activity. During the pilot program, chartered clubs (those that submit applications stating their intent to participate) are eligible to receive additional resources (i.e. ChemMatters subscriptions, t-shirts, and posters) to enhance their club’s activities. An invitation-only listserv has been established as an added support for faculty sponsors as they coordinate the activities of their clubs. This Web-based tool located at http:// tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ChemClubs/ (accessed Jan 2007) provides sponsors with the opportunity to share ideas and resources and to solicit help and advice from one another. Faculty sponsors are also connected with members of their nearest ACS Local Section and Student Affiliate Chapters. Since their beginning in fall 2005, more than 40 clubs have been established across the United States and Puerto Rico. They exist in schools with varying demographics; clubs are in rural, urban, and suburban schools, in private and pub-
Interested in Sponsoring an ACS High School ChemClub? Signing up for the 2007–2008 school year is easy! Here’s what we need from you: ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
your name email address school name school address
Send this information to
[email protected]. We will begin providing interested teachers with information about the 2007–2008 ChemClubs program during Spring 2007 and will continue to respond to interest in this program at any time.
Not a High School Chemistry Teacher? You can still get involved. Pass this information along to the high school teachers in your area and encourage them to sponsor a ChemClub!
Vol. 84 No. 4 April 2007
•
www.JCE.DivCHED.org
Chemical Education Today
lic schools, in small schools and large schools, in single-gender and co-ed schools. During this time, faculty sponsors have reported a range of activities. Clubs have coordinated and participated in chemistry demonstration shows for local elementary school students, National Chemistry Week games, field trips, and fundraising events. Several high school chemistry clubs hung banners for National Chemistry Week or created floats for their school’s homecoming parades. Two clubs—Wellington High School and Magnificat High School—were especially fortunate to have ACS Past-President Bill Carroll visit during his 2005 and 2006 Extreme Tours. The High School Chemistry Clubs program has attracted the attention and support of individuals and organizations beyond the Education Division. ACS entities such as the Local Sections, the Division of Chemical Education, the Local Section Activities Committee, the Committee on Technician Affairs, the Office of Community Activities, the Office of Communications, the National Science Digital Library, and this Journal have donated time, materials, and expertise to this program. External organizations including NASA and Flinn Scientific have also contributed resources in the form of ideas for club activities. Since its inception in the Fall of 2005, this pilot program has been well-received by the teachers and students who participate. The 2005–2006 pilot year yielded 15 clubs, five
www.JCE.DivCHED.org
•
The mission of these Clubs is to invite, motivate, and encourage high school students who are fascinated by the many ways that chemistry connects to their world.
more than the target number of ten. The 2006–2007 pilot year has yielded 41 clubs to date, well over the goal of 30 clubs. The program hopes to expand to 100 clubs during the 2007–2008 pilot year. ACS Education Division staff continues to recruit faculty sponsors who are interested in starting a high school chemistry club during the Fall of 2007. For more information on this exciting program, please contact the ACS Education Division at
[email protected]. Terri Taylor is the manager of the Office of High School Chemistry, Education Division, American Chemical Society, 1155 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036;
[email protected].
Vol. 84 No. 4 April 2007
•
Journal of Chemical Education
585
