*To the highest scoring female in the examination.  This award honors Marie Lishka, who was an active Chicago Section member for many years.  Additional funding for the Lishka award was provided in memory of Stan Drigot.

**To the highest-scoring Chicago Public High School Student. His sister, Rachel, established this award in 1972 in memory of Marshall S. Smoler.  Mr. Smoler was for many years a chemistry teacher in the Chicago public schools.

*** To the highest scoring Chicago High School student.  Mr. Bernard Schaar’s widow established this award in memory of Mr. Bernard Schaar, long active in Chicago Section, American Chemical Society and the Chicago Chemist’s Club.

HONORABLE MENTIONS LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

(These students were the next highest performers)

Ryan Alvarez                                                       Lane Tech College Prep HS

Alex Andrade                                                       Hinsdale Central HS

Jeffrey Anik                                                         University of Chicago Lab Schools

Jayden Cheng                                                       Naperville North HS

Alisa Cheung                                                       Naperville Central HS

Lilia Gao                                                              Naperville North HS

Kate Mu                                                               William Fremd HS

Anna Naidech                                                      Loyola Academy HS

Austin Ouyang                                                     Metea Valley HS

Tanmay Shetty                                                     William Fremd HS

A total of 46 students from 10 schools took the 2026 ACS Scholarship exam.  Each chemistry teacher could nominate two students. 

Awards will be given to students at the ACS Education Night meeting at Truman College on Sept. 17^th from 5:30 – 8:30 pm.  Award winners and their teachers will be contacted by the Chicago ACS office.  All teachers and students are invited and encouraged to attend the ACS Education Night meeting.  Teachers who attend the ACS Education Night meeting will receive CPDU credits.  Teachers do not have to be ACS members to attend.  Register online at http://membership.acs.org/C/Chicago/meetings/calendaracs.html#next  

A special thank you to Dr. Tim Marin, Chemistry Professor at Benedictine University; Despina Mandarino, Glenbrook South HS; and Karen Trine, Whitney Young HS for their hosting and proctoring of the exam and Dr. Paul Brandt for authoring and grading the exam.  Additional thanks go to those who helped administer the process including Lindsay Consdorf, Sherri Rukes, and Tata Venkata.

FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTORS TO THE SCHOLARSHIP EXAM ARE:  ACS Chicago Section, Stan Drigot, Dr. Henry M. Walton, Chicago Chemists’ Club, and Rachel Smoler.