Woodbridge High School’s chemistry classes celebrated Mole Day on October 23rd with a competition and a party.

After two weeks of preparing their mole-themed projects, chemistry students were able to enjoy and educate themselves on this annual celebration.

Mole Day is commemorated around the world to produce interest in the study of chemistry, and is observed by chemists and chemistry students. According to the National Mole Day website, chemistry teacher Maurice Oehler, from a Wisconsin High School, founded the National Mole Day Foundation on May 15, 1991.

Its name relates to Italian scientist and mathematical physicist Amedeo Avogadro’s discovery of chemistry’s basic measurement, which reads 6.02 x 10²³. The National Mole Day Foundation states that one mole is a mass in grams and its number is equal to the molar mass of a molecule.

To show appreciation for Mole Day at Woodbridge High School, chemistry teachers Ms. Tolentino and Ms. Finis efficiently organized this event for their classes, and Mr. Yalama’s and Mr. Cuches’ chemistry classes. During Block 3, the special needs students were invited to the party in the cafeteria.

Ms. Tolentino, who also teaches, AP Chemistry and SUPA Forensics Sciences, has organized Mole Day activities since she started teaching at Woodbridge High in 2010. She said she thinks that it is important for students to celebrate this event “to better understand the mole concept and make it more fun to learn.”

Students were assigned to sew a mole to fit a chosen theme and background, using their creativity and inspiration to assemble an attractive project based on construction, artistry, and originality. Afterwards, students voted for those in their own class on whose was the most unique, most original, cutest, funniest, the best couple, and the best group.

All Woodbridge teachers had the opportunity to vote for the overall winners among all of the chemistry classes. On October 25th, the winners were announced.

“E(-mole)T” by sophomore Mya Ramos won first place. She said, “I learned about Avogadro’s number, how the mole applies to chemistry, and other life skills, such as sewing.”

As an avid and enthusiastic golfer outside of school, sophomore Jake Vasquez’s “Holey MOLEY” won second place. “I learned how to sew which I never thought I would need for a school project,” he said. 

Third place had a three-way tie with “Barack MOLEbama” by Ayden Cassano, “MOLE-a Lisa” by Ashley Tolocka, and “MOLEar System” by Shayna Mangal.