By Tess Peterson
Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD – Lincoln Land’s chemistry labs are about to be overtaken by monsters, ghosts and other ghouls. But luckily, superheroes are also expected to be on hand.
All of these supernatural people will be coming for the third annual Haunted Lab, hosted by the Chemistry Club and Enviornmental Club. Children over the age of 5 are invited to come and to wear costumes.
The chemistry club has been preparing for three weeks to dazzle the children with 20-minute chemistry demonstrations from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 26, in Sangamon Hall 2213 and 2215.
Hands-on activities will be available in a nearby classroom, while waiting on the chance to watch the experiment. There also will be a bake sale.
Those attended are required to register beforehand at www.llcc.edu/haunted-lab.
Club member Olivia Carey is excited about the chance to teach children about chemistry and to interact with them, she said.
In her fourth semester at LLCC, Carey said she just joined the chemistry club this year because she heard positive things about it from friends and others involved.
Besides the Haunted Lab, the club also took part in Spooktacular in the A.Lincoln Commons and will do a chemistry demonstration at Hope Institute on Oct. 28.
The club also will be taking a field trip to the Argonne National Labs, and in December, the club will travel to the Fermi Lab near Chicago.
The chemistry club has a variety of other activities and shows throughout the school year, said Kyle Kieffer, a sophomore at Lincoln Land and the president of the chemistry club this year.
The 2014 graduate from Glenwood was involved with the science and chemistry clubs in high school. He has been a part of every activity at the school this year, and he said he’s excited about the Haunted Lab and the upcoming trips.
The chemistry club is going to a see a seminar at Fermi Lab about the Earth and humanity’s place in the universe, said Kieffer, who hopes to continue his study of sciences as a pre-med/biology major.
Professor Jennifer Ramm started the chemistry club started in 1994 with a few students who loved chemistry. Those students would get together after class, and eventually, they wanted to start a chemistry club and so did Ramm. Thus, the chemistry club was born.
The chemistry meets every Wednesday for some educational fun.
To promote the Haunted Lab, the chemistry lab sends fliers to the local school districts to let elementary school students know about the Haunted Lab. The public relations team here at LLCC also helps. In past years, more than 100 kids have come to the Haunted Lab. Students from other chemistry classes come for the fun too.
Every year, the Haunted Lab has entertained many local children and families in hopes of having a fun time and teaching the kids about science. Don’t miss the Haunted Lab for a spooky fun time!
Tess Peterson can reached at [email protected].