KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — Students from across the region gathered at Eastman in Kingsport to learn about the “Healing Power of Chemistry.”
The chemistry celebration brought 1,300 students from 26 regional schools to Eastman’s Employee Center for a series of chemistry demonstrations and a science-themed magic show.
Event organizers said the event has persisted over three decades to help inspire a future generation of chemists.
“It’s important to instill that value and that passion early on so that they carry that with them through the rest of their lives,” Eastman Senior Application Development Scientist Curtis Anderson told News Channel 11.
At least one of the more than 1,000 students who attended fulfilled that goal.
Emmet Elementary student Raegan Arms said she’ll tell her parents how much she enjoyed Tuesday’s field trip.
“I am so much more interested in science now,” Arms told News Channel 11.
Fourth-grade participants were able to watch and even get their hands dirty in demonstrations on everything from non-Newtonian substances to the states of matter.
Arms said watching substances transform when combined was her favorite part.
“If you combine hydrogen peroxide, dish soap and something else, you can make it, I think it’s called elephant toothpaste or something,” said Arms. “You can make it like a foam. It’s really cool. “
Event organizers said their goal was to demonstrate the wide variety of ways chemistry can be applied.
“We wanted to really showcase through some of our events just how chemistry touches everyday life for everyone, and specifically how we can use chemistry in the medical industry, durable industry and many other areas,” Anderson said.
Students said the opportunity to experience chemistry was transformational.
“I just like to see different things combine and make new things and how you can get something so boring [and] turn it into something so big,” said Arms.
The event was sponsored in part by the Tennessee Virginia Highlands chapter of the American Chemical Society.
