EIU Media Relations

EIU Hosts Annual Maurice Shepherd High School Chemistry Contest

More than 90 students from 14 area high schools -- Altamont, Beecher City, Danville, Edwards County, Fisher, Lawrenceville, MacArthur, Mahomet-Seymour, Mattoon, Morrisonville, Neoga, Okaw Valley, St. Teresa and Villa Grove -- participated in Eastern Illinois University’s 42nd annual Maurice Shepherd High School Chemistry Contest.

Students participated in a 60-minute written examination (50 questions), followed by a dinner break and talk by EIU associate professor of chemistry Radu Semeniuc on "Molecular Machines and Devices: Dream or Reality?” The top four teams and the top individuals were then recognized and awards presented. A traveling trophy was presented to the first-place team, and plaques were awarded to the top students.

The four schools having the highest team averages were:

• First Place: Morrisonville – Adam Sullivan, Joanna Williams, Cameron Krager and Adam Deal (alternate); Janet Walch (teacher).
• Second Place: Neoga – Ben Althoff, Jackson Clark, Cheyenne Vondrak, Jessica Atwell (alternate), Sheila Cline (alternate), Emma Fearday (alternate), Zach Gresens (alternate), Jacob Krampe (alternate), Taylor Lee (alternate), Robbie Martin (alternate), Sarah Thomas (alternate), Bridgette Trail (alternate) and Sydney White (alternate); Leanne Craig (teacher).
• Third Place: Mahomet-Seymour – Sarah Amjad, Annie Bao, Austin Carr, Lauren Henderson, Ethan Mansfield, Caitlin McNulty, Marina Moore, Lauren Penick, Annie Taber, Cassidy Waldrep, Emma Amjad (alternate), Gavin DeBrun (alternate), Devon Himes (alternate) and Kailyn Northup (alternate); Jeremy Davis and Terry Koker (teachers).
• Fourth Place: Fisher – Lucas Chittick, Ham Gadel and Jack Sievers; Michelle Wagner (teacher).

The highest-ranking individual students, in order, were Annie Bao (first) and Cassidy Waldrup (second), both from Mahomet-Seymour; Joanna Williams (third), Morrisonville; Nick Eveland (fourth), Mattoon; Adam Sullivan (fifth), Morrisonville; Jackson Clark, Neoga, and Lauren Henderson and Devon Himes, both from Mahomet Seymour (tied for sixth); Annie Taber (seventh), Mahomet-Seymour; Cheyanne Vondrak (eighth) and Jessica Atwell (ninth), both from Neoga; Lucas Chittick (10th), Fisher; Ben Althoff, Neoga, and Ethan Mansfield, Mahomet-Seymour, tied for 11th; Austin Carr (12th), Mahomet-Seymour; Madigan Carroll (13th), MacArthur; Cameron Krager (14th), Morrisonville; Lauren Pugh (15th), St. Teresa; Bushra Ibrahim (16th), MacArthur; Sarah Amjad (17th), and Emma Amjad (18th), both from Mahomet-Seymour; and Nathaniel Kelly, (19th), Danville.

Notes of interest: 2017 was the fourth consecutive year in which a student from Mahomet-Seymour received the highest individual score. Additionally, it is the third consecutive year in which Neoga finished second.

The contest's official website, which includes photos, a copy of the test and additional information, can be found here.