JMU's Professional & Continuing Education is teaming up with the Chemical Educational Foundation ® (CEF) to run the You Be The Chemist Challenge® in the Shenandoah Valley! You Be The Chemist Challenge is an interactive academic contest that uses the drama of competition to excite grade 5–8 students about science. The Challenge tests students’ knowledge of chemistry concepts, their real-world applications, and other topics that are included in standard science curriculum, such as:

Participating schools and students have an opportunity to receive national recognition, prizes, and scholarships. The winner and one educator from each state will receive an expenses-paid trip to the national competition in Philadelphia in June! There is no cost to participate, and participation requires a minimal time commitment from schools. Study materials are provided free online to help students prepare for the competition. The local challenge for the Shenandoah Valley will not be offered for the 2020 year at James Madison University. Please check back in Fall 2020 for information regarding the 2021 challenge. 

If you are interested in registering your school to participate in the Shenandoah Valley Challenge, please click here: 

The Challenge was created by the Chemical Educational Foundation, a national non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing science education for our youth. The competition involved 30 states and almost 25,000 students during the last school year and it continues to grow—we hope to get your school involved!  

For more information about participating in future events, please contact Melissa Heatwole at heatwol@jmu.edu or 540-568-4226 or visit http://www.chemed.org/