Advancing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education for people of all ages.


Become Part of the 2013
You Be the Chemist Challenge
in Northwest Ohio


This is a wonderful way to showcase and
encourage STEM learning at your school!

 

5th-8th Grade Teachers, you are invited you to become part of the annual You Be the Chemist Challenge sponsored by the Chemical Educational Foundation. Hold a challenge event at your school or district by having students review the Challenge materials, then take the Chemistry Challenge Test. Top scorers at your school will go on to compete at the State Challenge Event at Imagination Station this Feb/March 2012! The Local and State Challenge events are brought to you by NWO, University of Toledo's American Chemical Society, Toledo Public Schools, PVS-Nolwood Chemicals, Inc., and Imagination Station.

 

What is the You Be The Chemist (YBTC) Challenge?

The YBTC Challenge is a fun and innovative academic competition that engages 5-8 grade students in learning about important chemistry concepts, discoveries, and chemical safety. Challenge competitions are exciting events that take place across the country, encouraging the collaboration of community organizations, schools, and the chemical industry, as together, they educate students about the benefits and value of chemistry.

 

How does the school or school district Challenge work?

Important Information:

  • Contact our State Challenge Coordinator, Bob Mendenhall at robert.mendenhall@tps.org or (419) 671-8320 with any questions and to help you register to have your students compete.
  • Edith Kippenhan of University of Toledo and the local chapter of ACS is helping find chemical company sponsors for schools interested in participating.Contact Edith Kippenhan at Edith.Kippenhan@utoledo.edu for assistance with sponsorship.
  • If you are a school or district in Wood County, OH, contact NWO at NWO - nwocenter@bgsu.edu for help with a sponsor.
  • Overall information about the National YBTC Challenge Program is available online at http://www.chemed.org/ybtc/home.aspx


Use the free study and competition materials online (available at http://www.chemed.org/ybtc/challenge/study.aspx on Nov. 16) to prepare your students. The multiple choice test materials are free online for you to print out when your students are ready to take the test.

Once you complete the testing, you will notify Bob Mendenhall of the top three finishers. These students will be invited to compete in our State Competition. The State top finishers will receive prizes for competing.The winner of this competition will advance to the National Competition and will receive an all expenses paid trip to the competition held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

 

How do I prepare my students?

The Chemical Education Foundation offers FREE online study materials to
help students succeed at every level of the Challenge. To prepare for a Challenge competition, students should begin byreviewing the YBTC Challenge study materials, including the Periodic Table and Periodic Table of Atomic Weights handouts. The qualifying exam is a multiple choice test. Students are
encouraged to seek additional examples and explanations of chemistry concepts from outside resources as competition questions often require students to
connect concepts and apply their knowledge of chemistry to both familiar and unfamiliar situations.

 

Contact NWO today...

to let us know that your school or district is planning to take part in the Qualifying Exam competition and would like to participate in a Local Competition. All Qualifying Exams must be given and the top students selected by February 1, 2012 in order to compete at Imagination Station. All schools, public and private, are welcome and encouraged to compete.

Contact NWO at nwo@bgsu.edu to indicate your school's interest in the competition or contact Bob Mendenhall at robert.mendenhall@tps.org to help get your school registered.