Article by Phoenix writer Bryce Heery-Fiore ’28:
The STEM department celebrated National Chemistry Week from October 20th-24th. Freshman and Sophomore chemistry students had an exciting time in the labs and in the classroom. This year’s theme was The Secret Life Of Spices. Students took an introspective look into the chemistry behind taste, flavor, and spiciness.
While the week technically started on Monday, teachers started enjoying the chemical festivities on Friday, having students decorate illustrations of famous chemists and scientists. On Monday, students had a lab which involved making glue out of household products like milk and baking soda. The glue was used to decorate lab coats with chemistry-themed pictures. On Tuesday, students were taught about capsaicin, a molecule that creates spiciness in peppers, chili, and chips. On Wednesday, students were assigned a spicy food and were instructed to research what gives it a signature taste and flavor. One class discussed chili, another class discussed Cool Ranch Doritos. For Thursday and Friday, students played elemental bingo! For all days of the week, students were given elemental riddles and puzzles to solve, rewarding successors with prizes such as candy, stickers, and spices.
When asked for comment, Mrs. Frem stated, “Every year, the chemistry teachers look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of chemistry in class and in the lab.” She is one of the several teachers wearing chemistry shirts centered around spices, elements, molecules, and other compounds that create flavor in foods.
Chemistry week is a celebration of the accomplishments, achievements, and advancements of chemistry, chemists, and scientists as a whole. The idea was first penned by the American Chemical Society (ACS) in 1989. The first ever national chemistry day was in 1987. The concept was created with the purpose of emphasizing the importance of chemistry in the modern world.
Students and teachers remain excited for next year’s chemistry week, hoping it’ll be
even better than this one.
