The American Chemical Society Student chapter at ULM impacted the lives of more than 600 local elementary students last year through their community outreach programs. Even better, these students are not the only ones who noticed.

The American Chemical Society chose the ULM chapter as a recipient of the 2011-2012 Outstanding Chapter Award. The ULM organization stood out from hundreds of other schools because of their dedicated involvement both on and off campus.

Chapter President Chelsea Brasell said one of the organization’s most important goals is to promote chemistry in the lives of younger students.

“We recognize that based on middle school and high school experience, one can misinterpret the importance and even fun of chemistry, and we try to reach students so that their joy and understanding for chemistry is not lost,” Brasell said.

Throughout the year, ULM’s ACS chapter visited the Northeast Louisiana Children’s Museum, the Ouachita Parish Public Library, Lexington Elementary School and the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo. They hosted several community service events including TOYS for TOTS, and they also collected water for the homeless.

On campus, the ACS chapter participated in events such as the homecoming carnival, browse on the bayou and Oozeball to name a few.

The ACS nominates schools in three categories of awards: outstanding, commendable and honorable. On top of receiving the highest level of achievement, the ULM chapter was also named a green chemistry chapter for promoting chemical processes that reduce or eliminate hazardous products.

Brasell contributes much of the chapter’s success to the faculty advisor Dr. Laura Beal.

“She has influenced so many of us and has made our lives better both personally and professionally,” said Brasell.

This year the chapter hopes to reach even more Monroe students since every location they visited last year has already asked them to come back.

In October, the ACS student organization will celebrate National Chemistry Week with a nanotechnology theme.  The chapter will host guest speaker Dr. Chester Wilson on Tuesday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. for the campus and community to attend.