The months of October and November are very busy months for the science club. Every year since 2015, FHN competes in a national crystal growing competition. This competition is very different from others because it’s done out of science teacher Donna Malkmus’s room. The competition is run by State University of New York College at Buffalo.

“The process of making the crystals was very challenging, and we put so much time and effort into it”, senior Caitlind Walker said. “Grant and I were in the Malkmus room everyday before school, everyday after school and in there whenever we were free in our other classes.”

Participants worked to create a solution of water and aluminum potassium sulfate (alum) in the beginning. The real complexity of the challenge was figuring out the perfect ratio to ensure proper crystal growth. During the first few days, small seed crystals would form at the bottom of the solution. Groups would then take the seed crystals and have them suspended over the solution so that the crystal would grow.

“My favorite part was being able to actually see the process in my own eyes,” senior Grant Freitas said. “I liked applying my knowledge of chemistry in the process.”

Of the teams this year, the crystals submitted for judging came from two different teams. The first team was compromised of seniors Grant Freitas and Caitlind Walker, and the second team was made up of juniors Riley Lawson, Hannah Zimmerman and Sarah Zimmerman. The long and hard process definitely paid off for each group. The crystals that FHN submitted were judged in two different categories: the overall category and the quality category. The crystal Walker and Freitas submitted placed sixth in the overall category and crystal submitted by Lawson and the Zimmermans got a honorable mention in the quality category.

“I was a little disappointed that we didn’t place, but it was still an honorable mention,” junior Hannah Zimmerman said.”It was so cool getting to grow a crystal and compete against other schools.”