Elizabethtown College’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry recently hosted nearly 50 local high school students for the inaugural Chem-a-thon on Friday, April 5.
“Our first Chem-a-Thon event provided students an opportunity to participate in an engaging lab activity that utilized college-level techniques and instrumentation, giving them a lab experience unique to what they have experienced in high school,” Elizabethtown College Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dr. Lauren Toote said. “We hope this event gave students a greater excitement for the field of chemistry and encouraged them to consider scientific careers in the future.”
Students participated in a fun quiz bowl to showcase their chemistry knowledge.
Students participated in hands-on laboratory activities during the event, working with Etown faculty and student volunteers to tackle a chemistry project focused on forensic analysis. Students worked in teams of four and learned how to use Thin Layer Chromatography and Infrared Spectroscopy to identify the components of a powder containing a mix of pharmaceuticals.
After the laboratory activity, students experienced campus life by enjoying lunch in the College’s on-campus Marketplace Dining Hall before taking part in a chemistry-themed quiz bowl to showcase their knowledge. The day ended with an awards ceremony for winning teams in Gibble Auditorium.
Etown students and faculty volunteered at the event, helping participants with their analysis.
“It was extremely rewarding as a former high school student who was fascinated by science to help current high school students who are in the same shoes I was in,” Elizabethtown College Chemistry major, Ryan Smith ’25 said. “It was great to show students the concepts that we learn in class and see them understand the material, instead of just trying to finish a lab for a grade.”
Junior and senior chemistry students from Manheim Central High School, Pottsville Area High School, Elizabethtown Area High School, Linden Hall School for Girls, Cocalico High School, and Solanco High School participated in the event.
Chem-a-Thon activities took place in the College’s state-of-the-art chemistry laboratories in Musser Hall, which were renovated in the summer of 2023 to facilitate the extensive research- and discovery-based learning activities that are the core of Etown’s chemistry and STEM curriculum.
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