Chemistry plays a fundamental role in daily life. It explains basic processes including cooking, cleaning, and writing things down. Chemistry also gives insight into how medicine and ecological interactions work. However, chemistry is not confined to solely laboratories, or the sophomore year of science at LHS. Starting in the 2026–2027 school year, a new chemistry club will be introduced to the high school. Chemistry teacher Kevin Tranchin said, “The club will provide a place for students who enjoy chemistry to share their interest with others… and, obviously, to encourage an appreciation for chemistry puns.”
The addition of this club was unexpected. Tranchina commented, “I would not have thought to start a club like this and was surprised to hear that students wanted to do so.” The founders of the club, sophomores Valeria Acuna Delgado and Samantha Constanzo, worked together to develop this idea into a club format. Behind the curtains of the first meeting, which was, according to Tranchina, “really encouraging”, there were hours of thought and hard work put into it. Delgado, who originally thought of the club, joined with Constanzo to make it a reality. These founders conducted research to understand how a club like this would work. Constanzo said, “I am really excited to teach others about what I know and am interested in.” Delgado was in agreement.
This club is trying to foster an open environment, accepting all of those who are interested. Constanzo said, “We want to allow students interested in chemistry to either continue or begin their learning.” Constanzo added, “We would like to inspire a new generation of doctors, engineers, and mathematicians, with our focus being on the specific field of chemistry.” Through this club, students can experience something new and even use it to assist in pursuing their future careers. Students should not feel discouraged or too uneducated on the topic of chemistry to join. Delgado articulated, “No specific skills are required to join the club.” Any student is encouraged to join, whether they have taken chemistry or not.
One of the main focuses of this club will be to make chemistry a shared experience for all students, and educate more people on the topic. Tranchina said, “Chemistry is a challenging subject, but it’s also fun and has a natural mystery to it, like real-world magic. Letting kids see the interesting parts and use that for motivation during the tough moments would be a win for this club.” Of course, students should remember that not all things that are difficult can always stay that way. Through this club, students can explore the boundaries of chemistry outside of the classroom, while being social with others. Delgado added, “I want to create space for students who enjoy science, learning, and spending some of their free time doing something that is both educational and fun.”
This club seeks to accomplish this goal by organizing various events, experiments, labs, and potential community service opportunities. Tranchina said, “I’d like to try and incorporate the theme of National Chemistry Week, [which is] celebrated in the fall every year.” This addition could bring more recognition to the club next year and give students a taste of chemistry during its most important week. The various experiments that are to be done throughout the year are still to be decided. However, there has been consideration for doing a titration lab, and even making slime. Delgado said, “Members may also get the opportunity to tutor others for community service hours.” As the club is new, it is likely that throughout next year students will be be provided with additional opportunities as well.
This club plans to educate people on chemistry through the occurrence of bi-weekly meetings. Constanzo said, “Students can expect a lot of enthusiasm and excitement as the presidents and elected officials encourage people to learn. They can expect structured labs and explanations to chemistry questions.” All students are required to take Regents or Honors chemistry as their science during sophomore year. Therefore, this club could prove useful for access to additional information and support outside of the classroom. The club may also provide a chance for everyone who wants to learn more, even if it means just showing up for a lab.
Next year, students can expect to see more from the chemistry club. This club does not aim to take away from other sciences, but rather to encourage students to expand their science education to outside the classroom. Students will be encouraged to learn more about chemistry and to demonstrate this knowledge in fun and exciting ways.
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