ChemClub Spotlight: Cypress Lakes High School

Students involved in the ChemClub at Cypress Lakes High School in Katy, TX, have plenty of opportunities to take the lead and propose activities they're interested in. 

Each month, club members meet a week prior to their meeting and create a minute-by-minute plan. 

"Our club wants to create intentional experiments, so students have the best experience" the club's teacher advisor Dr. Usha Devathosh said.

So far, they've participated in National Chemistry Week, Earth Day, World Water Day, and the Chemistry Olympiad local exam. Students also tutor their peers after school.

Growing Quickly

This ChemClub was created just last year by a group of 26 students, motivated by their love of chemistry. Word spread about the club through social media and word of mouth, and now they've grown to have 47 members. Dr. Devathosh said she hopes the club will continue growing in order to "spread the joy and excitement that can be found in science to everyone around us." 

Students made s’mores for the first meeting of the year. "It was so fun seeing all the new faces and learning just what ChemClub is all about" Dr. Devathosh said.

Real-World Experience 

Last year, a doctor who graduated from the same school district as Cypress Lakes High School visited to share valuable firsthand career advice from the medical field. It was one of the most crowded sessions they've had so far, and one of the students in the club said they're interested in pursuing a career in the medical field as well.

One student shared their experience about a ChemClub activity that related to them personally. 

"My dad works fixing pools" they said. "One of our experiments was measuring the pH of different substances, and it made me connect more with his job because I really got into knowing the actual science behind it. I would always see him playing with the chemicals and using that pH meter, but I never really understood what it meant. I really felt like I just connected more with him because I was more involved, and I knew what his job was more about."

Chemis-Trees and Beyond

The club's monthly themes often center around holidays. In December, the students experimented with Borax crystals, and decorated a Christmas tree. "We called it our 'chemis-tree'" one student said.