Youth and Chemistry

The natural curiosity of children and specifically questions they have about chemistry form the starting point for the lesson program. Specifically for Youth and Chemistry, this program is carried out at school as well as in-company.

The lesson program was developed in 1994 through the combined efforts of DSM, including the former part that now forms SABIC, and two Geleen elementary schools.The aim has been to naturally awaken an interest in technology and chemistry and, based on their own questions, to become familiar with the activities of DSM in Geleen.

About 1,500 students participate in this program yearly. These are just the group 7 +/or 8 students from the surroundings of the Chemelot location. In total roughly 50 elementary schools participate. This brings the program up to full capacity.

A considerable number of people are involved in Youth and Chemistry, the laboratories of DSM Research and SABIC, as well as the Communications department. Every 2 to 3 years a different business group participates as a third party and supplies the guest teachers for the lessons at schools.

• An introductory discussion at school with a teacher from the participating group,

• A lesson at school given by two DSM co-workers,

• A visit to the DSM location,

• A short evaluation.

The introductory discussion
The lessen program is clarified during this discussion with the teacher, who is then asked about questions the students may have concerning DSM. These questions are dealt with during the course of the program.

The lesson
A special lesson is given at school by two DSM co-workers. This begins with answering questions from the students themselves followed by a slide presentation that incorporates questions previously asked. Then a quiz is given about DSM and chemistry in general. This way the students get a glimpse of what chemistry is, what type of company DSM is, what products it makes and what it does in the areas of environment and safety.
Additionally, the presentation is a preparation for the company visit since it shows places they will see on their visit.

The visit
The visit to DSM takes place one week after this lesson. The students take a tour around the location, see a factory on the inside and carry out a few simple experiments, naturally under expert guidance, in a specially designed “Youth and Chemistry” laboratory at DSM Research. At the end of the visit a group photo is taken as a memento of the trip.

The evaluation
After every Youth and Chemistry visit an evaluation is made together with the teacher involved. Usually this occurs one week later. The class receives their photo, framed, as a souvenir of the day.  DSM often receives the result of the class evaluation as a memento. This is in the form of work projects about their impressions of DSM. These vary from essays and drawings to replicas of entire factories in cardboard and wood.