Welcome to the American Chemical Society Education Committee's new home! From here you can check dates and download nomination forms for the Chicago area Local and National USNCO exams and the ACS Scholarship exam. You can also scan upcoming events and other cool ways the high school education committee is working to enhance chemistry education.

2010 ACS Chemistry Olympiad Competition
The Chicago Section, ACS is pleased to announce its search for nominees to compete for national positions on the U.S. Team that will enter the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) competition. This is a highly competitive selection process. If you feel that you have students of outstanding abilities in chemistry, please nominate them to compete in the qualifying exam. For nomination/nominee requirements, please see the invitation document at the bottom of this page.

• The Local and National exams will be held at Loyola University Chicago, 6525 N. Sheridan Rd., Chicago, Illinois, 60626, Room 204 in Flanner Hall.
  
• Registration is at 8:30 am. Both exams start promptly at 9:00 am.
• Each participant will need a photo identification card to take either exam.
• To preview Local and National Exams, past winners, and other general information about the Chemistry Olympiad visit www.acs.org Click on the Education link, Students, Chemistry Olympiad.

Local Chemistry Olympiad Exam: Friday, March 5, 2009
The top 22 performing students from the Local Exam will be invited to take the National Chemistry Olympiad Exam. The maximum number of students to advance to the National Exam is based on local section membership and cannot be changed.

National Chemistry Olympiad Exam: Friday, April 23, 2009
The top twenty students from the United States will attend a study camp from June 9-24, 2010 at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. Out of this group, four students will enter the IChO being hosted by Japan July 19-28, 2010, in Tokyo. Please review the rules for the Chemistry Olympiad competition.

2010 ACS Scholarship Exam
The Chicago Section of the American Chemical Society is sponsoring the 2010 Scholarship Examination. High school students in the Chicago area who are presently enrolled in the first year of high school level chemistry are eligible. A.P. Chemistry is not considered a first year high school chemistry course.

• The exam will be held at North Central College, Goldspohn Hall, Room 20, 31 N. Loomis St, Naperville, Illinois 60540 on Saturday, May 22nd, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m..
  
• Registration starts at 8:30 am w/mandatory orientation at 9:30. The exam starts promptly at 10:00 am.
• Each participant will need a photo identification card to take the exam.

Teachers can download a nomination form and complete rules below.

2010 Boy Scout Chemistry Merit Badge Workshop Registration Opens August 1st!
Complete all requirements for the Chemistry Merit Badge in a two session workshop. The first session includes laboratory experience. Choose one of three locations, the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn or Oakton Community College in Des Plaines or College of Lake County in Grayslake. The second session will be held on and at the location for "National Chemistry Day" and is necessary for completion of this merit badge.

• Want more details? Open the flyer below or visit the Boy Scout Chemistry Merit Badge page.
• Ready to register? Register with the Chicago Section American Chemical Society on their website www.chicagoacs.org and indicate where you plan to attend the 1st session at. Registration opens August 1st.

New Committee Coordinators Needed!
Want to get involved? Have great ideas you want to share? Please consider serving as a high school education committee coordinator! We need enthusiastic people to run these committees for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 school years. Not sure you want to run a committee solo? Sign up with a friend and serve as a team!

• USNCO Exam Coordinator
• ACS Scholarship Exam Coordinator
• Membership and Recruitment Coordinator
• Chemistry Day Workshop Coordinator (Professional Development)
• Boy Scouts Chemistry Merit Badge Workshop Coordinator
• Public Relations/ Media Liaison
• Webmaster
  

Worried how this will fit into your already busy schedule? We have "how-to" binders with contact names and timelines already in place for each committee, so you can jump right in! Interested? Please contact Linda Bennett (Chair) or Tracy Mitchell (Chair-Elect at acs_exams@yahoo.com. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Want to learn more about the Chicago Section of the American Chemical Society? Visit our official website at http://membership.acs.org/C/Chicago/