By Jon Fuccillo/The Torch
jonfuccillo@lcctorch.com
The Green Chemistry Club is more than just an ordinary club at LCC – it’s a way of “saving the world one reaction at a time,” as its motto prescribes
The club has 10 to 15 members attending activities, and is advised by John Thompson, an instructor who’s taught at LCC for 11 years.
Kerisha Williams, a sophomore and co-vice president of the Green Chemistry Club, became a member to shine light on science. She says students tend to lose interest in science as middle-schoolers.
“Science can be really dry sometimes,” Williams says.
The Green Chemistry Club members point to their favorites on the Periodic Table of Elements before class on Dec. 2. Photo by Eugene Johnson / The Torch
The club has been working on an outreach project with River Road Elementary School in Eugene, demonstrating the Diet Coke and Mentos experiments
When combined in the bottle, Diet Coke and Mentos combust into a high fountain of soda.
“The mission is to make science fun for kids,” Williams says. “We’re trying to make it cool.”
Club president Andrew Stratton said the experience has been “an emotional roller coaster.”
“I feel great about it because the kids are learning science and math skills and actually show some enthusiasm,” Stratton says.
current status of an overcrowded, poverty-stricken classroom. An hour a week with the kids never feels like enough.”
Thompson suggested the club team up with River Road Elementary, beginning last winter because his create a fun and safe environment for kids.
“The outreach started last fall when I was on sabbatical,” Thompson says. “I volunteered to help my sabbatical, and she gladly accepted.”
Thompson says the Diet Coke and Mentos experiments were selected because the students thought that would be interesting science.
“By the end of fall quarter, we had successfully planned and completed a few experiments, but I had ideas for several more,” Thompson says. “I volunteered to continue on.”
“The kids and teacher loved it, and the classes’ performance on the OAKS science exam was above normal,” Thompson says. “We decided to continue the Diet Coke and Mentos science this year with with the hopes of having a bigger impact on science education.”
The Green Chemistry Club was designed for students to expand their knowledge of green chemistry and to do community outreach.
“Each year, the students in the club do slightly different things, depending on the group of students involved and local opportunities,” Thompson says. “We have worked at developing a biodiesel plant on campus and producing biodiesel from the waste cooking oil from the campus kitchens.”
The club is planning a trip to the Science Factory near Autzen Stadium at some point in the year.
“The most rewarding factor of this club is the potential we have,” Stratton says. “I would like to see more students with at least a slight interest in science.”
