On Wednesday, January 8th, Segerstrom AP Chemistry students participated in the OCACS Chemistry Olympiad’s local section exam- a sixty question exam designed to test their knowledge of all things chemistry.
Students were given the class period to complete all of the questions – which ranged from subjects like intermolecular forces to thermodynamics. It was a complete surprise for most competitors, as they were not informed beforehand of Segerstrom’s participation.
“I feel like it was unnecessary, especially because we didn’t study for it and it contained a lot of content that we haven’t learned yet,” junior Angelina Slevkoff said. “However, it did help a little for finals prep.”
The Chemistry Olympiad originated in Eastern Europe in the 1960s, with the first International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) held in Prague, Czechoslovakia, in 1968. The United States joined the global competition in 1984, and the American Chemical Society (ACS) established the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO) program to prepare high school students for international competition. The Orange County Section of the ACS (OCACS) has since been an active participant, holding local qualifying exams to select the brightest young chemists from the region to compete on a national and even a potentially global stage. High school chemistry teachers register their school to participate, which is what took place at Segerstrom.
Although a grueling exam, there are many benefits for the participants. For one, even just participating gave students the opportunity to put the activity as a part of their college applications, which is a great way to stand out, particularly for those interested in pursuing STEM. It’s clear that this olympiad was a wonderful opportunity for those involved, and Segerstrom can be sure to look forward to possible winners each year.
