What is the ChemFriends Expo?
Everyone knows about science fairs, right?  Well this is a science fair with a twist.  Instead of students demonstrating experiments to adults, it's the adults who are under the microscope and the students who get to watch, learn, and participate.

How and when did the event get started, who is involved?
ChemFriends was launched in 1997 in Gonzales Louisiana to raise the awareness and interest of science and chemistry in students and the community through the collaborative effort of local chemical companies, educators, government, and business professionals.  The Expo typically contains 16 different 'booths' of demonstrations where groups of students spend about 15 minutes listening to presenters and participating in hands on experiments wherever possible.

Who does the event target?
Every 6th grader in Ascension Parish (Public, Private, and Home School) is scheduled/invited to attend on one of two days and all schools in Ascension Parish are active participants.  The Ascension Parish School Board coordinates the logistics for the students who get really really fired up about the 'field trip'.  The grand finale is community night where for 2 hours (5-7pm the second night of the event) the doors are open for anyone to attend (anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult), with no admission. Each year around 1,700 students attend the event and another 700 people visit for community night.  In it's ten+ years of existence ChemFriends has helped to broaden the chemistry and science knowledge of over 20,000 people.

Can students from other parishes participate?
During the 'day' portion of the event we host Ascension Parish students only, however anyone is invited and encouraged to attend community night.  Many teachers use community night as a source of 'extra credit' for students to attend.

Why is the event held, who does it benefit?
The main purpose of the event is to raise awareness and interest in chemistry in our students and community.  The event is FREE, covered by member fees from the organizations participating in the event. Don't get the wrong idea though, as this is NOT an industrial show where companies promote their products.  Only on community night are the participating organizations allowed to hand out anything to event patrons.  The major focus of this event is enhancing science education.  Reading about chemistry textbooks and listening to lectures can often leave even the most earnest student board, but seeing chemistry in action opens a whole other avenue to learning.

Experiments from the event are offered to area teachers so they can recreate them in their own school laboratories.  In addition many of our participating companies offer "road shows" where they visit the schools to talk about science and chemistry and perform experiments.

Event surveys have been distributed to educators, participating companies/organizations and the feedback has been nothing but positive.  In 2002 we saw the inaugural group of students come back to volunteer as student guides and in 2007 many of those students had graduated college.  Each year we rely on local high school seniors to help guide the 6th graders through the event.  Senior classes literally bang on the door to volunteer for the event.  The seniors remember when they attended the event six years earlier, but more importantly they remembered what they saw and what they learned!

When is the ChemFriends Expo and where?
The ChemFriends Expo is held the second Wednesday and Thursday each November at the Gonzales Civic Center on 219 S Irma Blvd (Click Here for Map). 

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Comments, Questions, Ideas for improvement?
Contact Webmaster and Committee Co-Chair Rick Bergeron HERE.