Chemagination

ACS Chemagination Competition for High School Students

Chemagination is designed to encourage high school students to think about the future impact of chemistry on their lives and society.
High school students are asked to imagine that they are living 25 years in the future and are writing for ChemMatters, a magazine for high school students that focuses on the role of chemistry in everyday life.  The editor chooses them to them to write the cover article for the next issue of the magazine describing a recent breakthrough or innovation in chemistry and its applications that improve the lives of those living in that future time. Along with the article they have the honor of designing the magazine’s cover. The subject of the article is: “Describe a recent breakthrough or innovation in chemistry (and/or its applications) that has improved the quality of people’s lives today.”  The article must be written to fit in one of four categories: Alternative Energy, Environment, Medicine/Health, or New Materials. They must write an article describing the science and present that article on a poster and in interviews with judges. 

2025 Competition Rules

2024 Lehigh Valley Section Chemagination Competition
 
The Lehigh Valley 2024 ACS Chemagination competition took place during April and May. The first-place teams in each category spent a day at Penn State University in conjunction with MARM 2024 at the regional competition. This year a total of 21 teams competed, representing the Lehigh Valley section at the regional competition. Each team submits their article to be reviewed by two or three judges. First and Second Place winners were chosen in each category. Our warmest congratulations go to this year’s winners:
 
The three teams from Muhlenberg HS chosen to compete at MARM 2024 were:
Alternative Energy – “Filters of the Ocean”, Ashley De Los Santos,
Jaela Eaton and William Howk
Medicine/Health – “Unlocking the Cure: Chemistry's Role in Defeating
Cystic Fibrosis”, Jocelyn Fernandez and Kimberly Reynoso
New Materials – “Bamboo Made Toys”, Olivia Lisa, Sophia Luigard and Autumn Mease
Honorable Mention - “Bamboo Made Toys”, Muhlenberg High School

 

2023 Lehigh Valley Section Chemagination Competition
 
The Lehigh Valley 2023 ACS Chemagination competition took place during April and May. The first-place teams in each category spent a day at St. John’s University in conjunction with MARM 2023 at the regional competition. This year a total of 21 teams competed, representing the Lehigh Valley section at the regional competition. Each team submits their article to be reviewed by two or three judges. First and Second Place winners were chosen in each category. Our warmest congratulations go to this year’s winners:
 

Alternate Energy Category

First Place - “Thorium: Saving nature and the world one rock at a time”
Jackson Smith and Reid Bagans
Mentor: Dr Audrey Smeltzer, Muhlenberg HS

Second Place - “Fueling the Future with Algae”
Taylor Devine Lillian Bruinsma and Quinn Wagner
Mentor: Dr Audrey Smeltzer, Muhlenberg HS

 

Environment Category

First Place - “Methane: Revolutionizing Protein”
David Markwood and Kendra Montalvo
Mentor: Dr Audrey Smeltzer, Muhlenberg HS

Second Place - "The Artificial Tree" 
Aya Amin, Cadence Perez, Dana Gahuancelan
Mentor: Dr Audrey Smeltzer, Muhlenberg HS

“Future of Mussel Filtration: How did Mussels Save the Ocean From Micro Plastics”
Beckum Greth, Samuel Bissell and Kenna Follweiler
Mentor: Dr Audrey Smeltzer, Muhlenberg HS
 

Medicine/Health Category

First Place - “A New Solution To Blood”
Judy Pintor and Calliope Padilla
Mentor: Mr. Mark Wladyslawski, Bethelehem Catholic HS

Second Place - “JuViSleeve: The all New Innovative Sleeve to Rejuvenate Your Cells.”
Rey Espady, Justin Hildalgo, Dahlia Snyder
Mentor: Dr Audrey Smeltzer, Muhlenberg HS
 

New Materials Category

First Place  -  "Lunar 3D Printing: Regolith Structures."   
Andrea Santiago, Leonardo Carbajal and Salem Davis
Mentor: Dr Audrey Smeltzer, Muhlenberg HS

Second Place - "Discovery in the Deep Pacific: The Discovory of Vitalitium" 
Ayden Seaman and Yolianyela Rosario Leon: Muhlenberg High School
Mentor: Dr Audrey Smeltzer, Muhlenberg HS
 

2022 Lehigh Valley Section Chemagination Competition
 
In the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lehigh Valley competiton was run in a virtual mode. The 1st and 2nd place winners in each category are noted in the listing below. 1st place winners were invited to further develop and submit their entries to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Competition during the MARM in June. We had three second place and one first place award at MARM! Students from Muhlenberg HS in Reading took this on as a class assignment with a real futurist’s fervor! With guidance from chemistry teacher Audrey Smeltzer Schwab, they covered the four subject areas brilliantly with stories from new material “Glasphene” by Mattias Maftei to Health innovation "The NeuroPen" by Yahfrelyn Alvarado, Dalhendji Henly and Jeslee Ruiz. All four of our first-place entries won 1st or 2nd place at the MARM competition (see table below).The awards committee thanks the student competitors, teachers and schools for sharing their creativity with the community!
 

Alternate Energy Category

First Place - "Wave Toward Clean Energy and Water", Omar Alghondakly, Marta Rzeszutko and Paula Wasik, Wallington High School

Second Place - "Mushroom Turbines", Sophia Castiglioni and Kayla Yoder, Muhlenberg High School

 

Environment Category

First Place - “The O-Fish-Ally Perfect Nanotechnological Fishing Line”, Matthew LaSusa and Natalia Pszeniczny, General Douglas MacArthur High School

Second Place - “Artificialis Florae”, Jairo Alcaraz, Samson Evans and Nathan Ramkissoon, Muhlenberg High School

 

Medicine/Health Category

First Place - “CROCDROPS”, Stephen Jones and Anushka Pandya, Half Hollow Hills High School West

Second Place - "The NeuroPen", Yahfrelyn Alvarado, Dalhendji Henly and Jeslee Ruiz, Muhlenberg High School

 

New Materials Category

First Place  -  "Glasphene: The Future of Glass", Matthias Maftei, Muhlenberg High School

2021 Lehigh Valley Section Chemagination Competition
 
In the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the competiton was run in a virtual mode. The 1st and 2nd place winners in each category are noted in the listing below. 1st place winners were invited to further develop and submit their entries to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Competition during the MARM in June. Unfortunately, none of our student teams were chosen as 1st or 2nd place winners at MARM. The awards committee thanks the student competitors, teachers and schools for sharing their creativity with the community!
 
 
Alternative Energy

Nuclear Cars by Maddox Moyer, Manny Lorenzo and Logan Kimma (1st place) *
The Hydroelectric Car by Joal Ponce and Sarah Love (2nd place) *
 
Environment

Filtered Water of the Future by Asher Landrum and Sydney Gring (1st place) *
Lunar Greenhouses by Jack Davis, Sherylann Smith and Yasire Hidalgo (2nd place) *

Medicine/Health

The Secrets of the Brain Unlocked by Frances Ramirez and Bobby Cornelius (1st place) *
The Evolution of the Artificial Kidney by Darius Jackson and RF Schaeffer (2nd place) *

New Materials
 
A Not So Cool Way to Conduct by Rebecca Hawks, Sakura Helm and Casimir Morgan (1st place) #
Could Nanotechnology be the Cure? by Summer Mease and Jordyn Naber (2nd place) *

* Muhlenberg High School, Reading, PA
# Stroudsburg High School, Stroudsburg, PA

Chemagination Awards Committee

John Freeman, jcf2@rcn.com
LVACS HS Chemagination coordinator

LEHIGH VALLEY SECTION OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

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