On Thursday, October 30, more than 2,600 Calcasieu Parish sixth graders will explore basic chemistry at the LAIA Chem Expo. The event will be held at the Lake Charles Civic Center during school hours. It is sponsored by the 23 member companies of the Lake Area Industry Alliance (LAIA) and supported by the Southwest Louisiana Chapter of the American Chemical Society, McNeese State University , and the Calcasieu Parish School Board. The Expo provides students with a fun-filled day of hands-on chemistry experiments and demonstrations.
Home schooled students interested in attending the Chem Expo should call Joe Andrepont at 583-3116 to reserve space, no later than the close of business on October 28. All local sixth graders in public and private schools have already been invited through their science teachers. Additionally, this is the second year that Cameron Parish sixth graders will participate.
The expo is held in conjunction with the American Chemical Society National Chemistry Week. This year’s theme is “Have a Ball with Chemistry.”
Jan Arceneaux, LAIA Chem Expo chairperson said, “I really like this year’s theme because people do not usually think of chemistry as it relates to sports. However, chemistry has a hand in everything from the materials used in sporting equipment to the proper hydration and nutrition of the athletes.”
The main focus of the Chem Expo is to expose students to interesting chemistry experiments that spark their interests in the sciences. LAIA members will also explain how chemistry is used at local industrial facilities. During the expo sixth graders will move through four different hands on experiments, including surface tension, polymers, pH indicators, and rheology. Using household products such as detergent, vinegar, ammonia, glue and ketchup the students will learn how basic chemistry is used everyday to make our lives easier.