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BASF creates chemistry with students through Kids' Lab event at Vidalia Junior High
VIDALIA, LA, March 17, 2015 – BASF gave students at Vidalia Junior High School a chance to become scientists for a day during BASF Kids’ Lab. With the help of 20 employee volunteers from BASF's sites in Vidalia, Geismar and Zachary, 300 students in grades 6th – 8th explored chemistry through safe and engaging hands-on experiments and learned the many ways that chemistry is part of daily life.
"We believe today's students are the innovators and leaders of the future, and BASF Kids' Lab is a great way to spark their interest in science-related careers," said Dwayne Nichols, Site Manager of BASF Vidalia. "Our partnership with Vidalia Junior High School is one of many ways that BASF employees create chemistry in the communities where they live and work."
BASF Kids’ Lab is an award-winning global program that encourages students to explore the connections between chemistry and the world around them. During BASF Kids' Lab, students performed a series of experiments to learn about polymers and chromatography.
"The most common phrase I heard during the lab from the students was,
'Wow, this is awesome!,” said Whest Shirley, Principal of Vidalia Junior High School. "We're extremely happy to partner with BASF, and we're looking forward to more projects with this great company as they bring chemistry into our classrooms."
BASF also supports Vidalia Junior High School through donations and other adopt-a-school activities. In addition to Concordia Parish, BASF employee volunteers have brought interactive Kids’ Lab events to a variety of schools in Ascension and East Baton Rouge parishes located near BASF facilities in Louisiana.
The Vidalia site is part of BASF’s Catalysts division and manufactures activated alumina adsorbents used in a variety of chemical, petrochemical and oil and gas applications, including the purification of natural gas. In addition to the Vidalia site, BASF’s manufacturing presence in Louisiana includes operations in Geismar and Zachary. These BASF sites employ nearly 2,000 people and invest nearly $300 million in the state through annual payroll, purchases, taxes and charitable contributions. For more information about BASF in Louisiana and careers with the company, visit www.basf.us/la.
Suggested caption for press photo #1 (download at right): Vidalia Junior High School 8th grade students Karlee Stewart and Nic Davis observe how different dyes in a marker are separated in a chromatography experiment that was part of the BASF’s Kids’ Lab event.
Suggested caption for press photo #2 (download at right): BASF employee volunteer Elise Mophett explains to Vidalia Junior High School 8th grade students Ashley Taylor, Macy Ainsworh and Ryan Trust how polymers in glue and Borax cross link to create playful slime during the BASF’s Kids’ Lab
Suggested caption for press photo #3 (download at right): At one of three BASF Kids’ Lab science stations, Vidalia Junior High School 8th grade students Austin Tingle and Tony Tolliver discover first-hand how super absorbent polymer works through a per dissection.
About BASF
BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 17,000 employees in North America, and had sales of $20.6 billion in 2014. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.us.
At BASF, we create chemistry – and have been doing so for 150 years. Our portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. As the world’s leading chemical company, we combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of over €74 billion in 2014 and around 113,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.
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