Hello Orlando Section! We would like to bring to your attention to the following two urgent announcements:
We are seeking volunteers: Join us in celebrating the wonders of chemistry during National Chemistry Week at the Orlando Science Center on Saturday, October 25! This year’s theme, “The Hidden Life of Spices,” explores the science behind the flavors, aromas, and chemistry of everyday spices. We’re looking for passionate volunteers to help bring hands-on science to life for visitors of all ages. Whether you’re a student, educator, scientist, or simply a fan of chemistry, your energy and enthusiasm can make this event unforgettable! If you’re interested in volunteering, please reach out to Dr. Denisia Popolan-Vaida (denisia.popolan-vaida@ucf.edu) by September 30, 2025.
Student Travel Awards: Joint Meeting of SERMACS/SWRM 2025 (Deadline extended) Because of late abstract acceptance, the Award committee of the Orlando Section has approved an extension of the submission deadline to September 19, 2025, at 11:59 PM. For more details, please check our website.
Please don’t forget to subscribe to our LinkedIn, follow our facebook page, and check out our website for updated news, and activities of our local section.
The Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS) is hosting an illustrated poem contest for students in Kindergarten through 12th grade. Entries must be sponsored by a local school or community group for verification purposes.
Contest_Deadline:
Sunday, October 19, 2025 at 11:54 PM Eastern
Local Prizes:
One winner* will be awarded $50 and one runner up* will be awarded $25 for each of the flowing categories: Grades K-2 Grades 3-5 Grades 6-8 Grades 9-12
*Submissions must be of high quality, align with the contest’s theme, and achieve the highest score.
Winners of the Orlando Section’s Illustrated Poem Contest will advance to the National Illustrated Poem Contest for a chance to be featured on the ACS website and to win prizes!
Neatness – free of spelling and grammatical errors
Contest rules:
– All poems must be no more than 40 words, and in one of the following styles to be considered: Haiku, Limerick, Ode, ABC poem, Free verse, End rhyme, and Blank verse. – Entries are judged based upon relevance to and incorporation of the NCW theme, word choice and imagery, colorful artwork, adherence to poem style, originality and creativity, and overall presentation. – All entries must be original works without aid from others. Poems may be submitted by hand on an unlined sheet of paper not larger than 11” by 14” or scanned and sent via email. Illustrations may be created using crayons, watercolors, other types of paint, colored pencils, or markers. The illustration may also be electronically created by using a digital painting and drawing app on a computer, tablet, or mobile device. – The text of the poem should be easy to read and may be typed before the hand-drawn or digital illustration is added, or the poem may be written on lined paper, which is cut out and pasted onto the unlined paper with the illustration. – No clipart or unoriginal images can be used. – Only one entry per student will be accepted; all entries must include an entry form. If the illustration is created using a digital painting or drawing app, the name of the program must be included on the entry form. – Acceptance of prizes constitutes consent to use winners’ first name, and entry for editorial, advertising, and publicity purposes. – Do not place participant names on the front of your poem
Celebrating Chemistry magazines displayed at a local library.
The Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society is on a mission to spark a love for chemistry among children in Central Florida. For the past few years, we have distributed Celebrating Chemistry magazines to local library systems, providing resources that make chemistry accessible and exciting for young learners.
For 2025 National Chemistry Week (NCW), the Orlando Local Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS) will distribute Celebrating Chemistry magazines to library systems of 7 counties around central Florida: Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia.
Representative from each county library should submit this request form to request the magazines. We only ship the magazine to one address per county, preferably, to the main branch/office, from which the magazines will be distributed through county library system.
For the 2025 Chemists Celebrate Earth Week (CCEW), the Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS) organized an Illustrated Poem Contest for K-12 students in Central Florida, centered on the theme “Glaciers: Hot Topic, Cool Chemistry!.” Among the many CCEW activities, this contest encouraged young minds to explore chemistry creatively.
Thanks to the support of county school board members and dedicated teachers who promoted the event, numerous students from across Central Florida participated, submitting a wide array of entries for all categories, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12.
The winners of the local contest K-2 Category: Liam Wever* (2nd grade), Carillon Elementary (Seminole County) 3-5 Category: Hrishika Soni* (4th grade), Heathrow Elementary School (Seminole County) 6-8 Category: T. T. (8th grade), Horizon West Middle School (Orange County) 9-12 Category: Erik Denico (12th grade), Lake Buena Vista High School (Orange County) * Permission to use student’s full name was obtained.
Winner of Grade 6-8 Category (By T. T., 8th grade, Horizon West Middle School, Orange County)
Winner of Grade 9-12 Category (By Erik Denico, 12th grade, Lake Buena Vista High School, Orange County)
Finalist of K-2 Category (By M. D., 2nd grade, Azalea Park Elementary School, Orange County)
Finalist of K-2 Category (By M. S., 2nd grade, Azalea Park Elementary School, Orange County)
Finalist of 3-5 Category (By C.A, 5th grade, Castle Creek Elementary School, Orange County)
Finalist of 3-5 Category (By J. D. , 5th grade, Crystal Lake Elementary School, Seminole County)
Finalist of 3-5 Category (By S.S., 4th grade, Eagle Creek Elementary School, Orange County)
Finalist of 3-5 Category (By T. E.,4th grade, Carillon Elementary School, Seminole County)
Finalist of 6-8 Category (By J. H., 8th grade, Tuskawilla Middle School, Seminole County)
Finalist of 6-8 Category (By V. B., 6th grade, Tuskawilla Middle School, Seminole County)
Finalist of 9-12 Category (By A.D., 12th grade, Lake Buena Vista High School, Orange County)
Finalist of 9-12 Category (By A.R., 9th grade, Boone High School, Orange County)
The winner of each category will receive a certificate and a monetary award of $50. The teacher who guided the winner of each category will receive a school supply funding of $100. The winner of each category also advances to the national 2025 CCEW Illustrated Poem Contest. The results of the national contest will be published on ACS website soon.
If you have any comments or questions regarding the local contest, please contact the local section’s coordinator of the contest (Dr. Duy Le, submission@orlandoacs.org).
The Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS) is hosting an illustrated poem contest for students in Kindergarten through 12th grade. Entries must be sponsored by a local school or community group for verification purposes.
Contest_Deadline:
Sunday, April 27, 2025 at 11:59 PM Eastern
Local Prizes:
One winner* will be awarded ($50) for each of the flowing categories: Grades K-2 Grades 3-5 Grades 6-8 Grades 9-12 The teacher who guided the winner will receive a small funding ($100) for classroom supplies.
*Submissions must be of high quality, align with the contest’s theme, and achieve the highest score.
Winners of the Orlando Section’s Illustrated Poem Contest will advance to the National Illustrated Poem Contest for a chance to be featured on the ACS website and to win prizes!
How to participate:
Write and illustrate a poem using the CCEW theme, “Glaciers:Hot Topic, Cool Chemistry!” Your poem must be no more than 40 words and in the following styles to be considered:
Neatness – free of spelling and grammatical errors
Contest rules:
· All poems must be no more than 40 words, and in one of the following styles to be considered: Haiku, Limerick, Ode, ABC poem, Free verse, End rhyme, and Blank verse. · Entries are judged based upon relevance to and incorporation of the CCEW theme, word choice and imagery, colorful artwork, adherence to poem style, originality and creativity, and overall presentation. · All entries must be original works without aid from others. Poems may be submitted by hand on an unlined sheet of paper not larger than 11” by 14” or scanned and sent via email. Illustrations may be created using crayons, watercolors, other types of paint, colored pencils, or markers. The illustration may also be electronically created by using a digital painting and drawing app on a computer, tablet, or mobile device. · The text of the poem should be easy-to-read and may be typed before the hand-drawn or digital illustration is added, or the poem may be written on lined paper, which is cut out and pasted onto the unlined paper with the illustration. · No clipart or unoriginal images can be used. · Only one entry per student will be accepted; all entries must include an entry form. · If the illustration is created using a digital painting or drawing app, the name of the program must be included on the entry form (No AI). · Acceptance of prizes constitutes consent to use winners’ first name and last initial, along with the name of the ACS Local Section, on the ACS web pages and, in the magazine, Chemical & Engineering News · Do not place participant names on the front of your poem.
Among many other activities for the 2024 National Chemistry Week (NCW), the Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS) hosted the 2024 NCW Illustrated Poem Contest for K-12 students in Central Florida. This year, the theme of the contest is “Picture Perfect Chemistry”.
Thanks to members of counties’ school boards and the teachers who brought the contest to students’ attention, the contest received many entries from multiple schools.
Results of the local contest
K-2 Category Honorable Mention: E. M. Freedom 7 Elementary School (Brevard County)
Winner of Grade 9-12 Category, by A. E. from Lake Mary High School (Seminole County)
Grade 3-5 Category Honorable Mention: A. R. C. Highlands Elementary School (Osceola County)
Grade 6-8 Category No Winner
Grade 9-12 Category Winner: A. E. Lake Mary High School (Seminole County)
The winner of each category will receive a certificate and a monetary award of $50. The teacher who guided the winner of each category will receive a school supply funding of $100. Honorable Mention will also receive certificate and a monetary award ($25 and $50% for student and teacher, respectively).
The winner of each category also advances to the national 2024 NCW Illustrated Poem Contest. The full results of the national contest can be found at ACS website. If you have any comments or questions regarding the local contest, please contact the local section’s coordinator of the contest (Dr. Duy Le, submission@orlandoacs.org).
Celebrating Chemistry magazines displayed at a local library.
The Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society is on a mission to spark a love for chemistry among children in Central Florida. For the past few years, we have distributed Celebrating Chemistry magazines to local library systems, providing resources that make chemistry accessible and exciting for young learners.
In 2024, the initiative reached a new milestone, with 5,100 copies of the magazines distributed to library systems across five counties in Central Florida. These magazines are now available at local library branches, reaching children in countless communities throughout Central Florida.
The Celebrating Chemistry magazines are more than just reading material—they’re a gateway to hands-on learning. Local libraries have incorporated the magazines into various activities, from science workshops to family-friendly events, helping kids explore chemistry through experiments, puzzles, and real-world applications.
By making chemistry engaging and relatable, the Orlando ACS is nurturing the next generation of scientists and innovators, one magazine at a time.
For future distribution or if you have any question about the distribution, please contact Duy Le (duy.le@ucf.edu).
In this Newsletter, we would like to bring your attention to a few important and exciting news.
On Saturday, November 2nd, 2024 (10:00 AM – 4:00 PM) at the Orlando Science Center, the ACS Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society organizes a community event for National Chemistry Week to celebrate the importance of chemistry in everyday life! Learn about this year’s theme, Picture Perfect Chemistry, with exciting hands-on activities. Stop by to see the fun!
To celebrate National Chemistry Week, the Orlando Section is also organizing the 2024 NCW Illustrated Poem Contest: Picture Perfect Chemistry for K-12 students. We ask you to spread the word to K-12 teachers and students to encourage their participation. The deadline for submission is Sunday, October 27th, 2024 at 11:59 PM.
The Orlando Section is also calling for Annual Awards Nominations. To be considered, nominations must be received by 5pm Wednesday November 13, 2024. Questions can be directed to Dr. Nasri Nesnas, Chair of the Orlando Section Awards Committee at nesnas@fit.edu. More information about the annual awards and nomination process can be found on our website.
The American Chemical Society is offering a 30% discount on the cost of ACS membership. Members may simply enter the discount code when joining or renewing their membership and enjoy the benefits. Share this discount code to encourage your colleagues to renew or join! Visit https://www.acs.org/membership.html and use this code Local Sections: LSGROW24 for renewing or joining ACS.
Due to the effect of hurricane Milton, this event has been rescheduled
Join the ACS Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society and Orlando Science Center for a community event for National Chemistry Week and celebrate the importance of chemistry in everyday life! Learn about this year’s theme, Picture Perfect Chemistry, with exciting hands-on activities.
The Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS) is hosting an illustrated poem contest for students in Kindergarten through 12th grade. Entries must be sponsored by a local school or community group for verification purposes.
Contest_Deadline:
Sunday, October 27, 2024 at 11:59 PM Eastern
Local Prizes:
One winner will be awarded ($50) for each of the flowing categories: Grades K-2 Grades 3-5 Grades 6-8 Grades 9-12 The teacher who guided the winner will receive a small funding ($100) for classroom supplies.
Winners of the Orlando Section’s Illustrated Poem Contest will advance to the National Illustrated Poem Contest for a chance to be featured on the ACS website and to win prizes!
How to participate:
Write and illustrate a poem using the NCE theme, “Picture Perfect Chemistry.” Your poem must be no more than 40 words and in the following styles to be considered:
Neatness – free of spelling and grammatical errors
Contest rules:
· All poems must be no more than 40 words, and in one of the following styles to be considered: Haiku, Limerick, Ode, ABC poem, Free verse, End rhyme, and Blank verse. · Entries are judged based upon relevance to and incorporation of the NCW theme, word choice and imagery, colorful artwork, adherence to poem style, originality and creativity, and overall presentation. · All entries must be original works without aid from others. Poems may be submitted by hand on an unlined sheet of paper not larger than 11” by 14” or scanned and sent via email. Illustrations may be created using crayons, watercolors, other types of paint, colored pencils, or markers. The illustration may also be electronically created by using a digital painting and drawing app on a computer, tablet, or mobile device. · The text of the poem should be easy to read and may be typed before the hand-drawn or digital illustration is added, or the poem may be written on lined paper, which is cut out and pasted onto the unlined paper with the illustration. · No clipart or unoriginal images can be used. · Only one entry per student will be accepted; all entries must include an entry form. If the illustration is created using a digital painting or drawing app, the name of the program must be included on the entry form. · Acceptance of prizes constitutes consent to use winners’ first name, and entry for editorial, advertising, and publicity purposes. · Do not place participant names on the front of your poem.
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