Academic Enrichment Grant 2025-2026 Project Summary

Neil Reimer

Evanston Township High School • Evanston, IL

Evanston Township High School (ETHS) has been awarded a 2025 grant from the McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation to expand its innovative soap-making program. This initiative, rooted in the school’s sophomore chemistry curriculum, uses cold-process soap-making as a dynamic, hands-on method to teach key scientific concepts such as stoichiometry, organic chemistry, and molecular function. With the new funding, students will deepen their learning by formulating unique soap recipes, conducting comparative analyses of handmade versus commercial soaps, and exploring the environmental and functional impacts of their work. Additionally, the program encourages creative expression through marketing projects that blend scientific research with design and communication skills.

Beyond the classroom, the ETHS Soap Club will significantly benefit from the grant through enriched programming and new partnerships. Students will collaborate with business and community service groups to build a sustainable soap-making enterprise and donate products to housing-insecure individuals. Planned community events, including a summer camp for incoming freshmen and public demonstrations, will further promote engagement. The grant also enables participation in national conferences, offering students the chance to connect with professionals and earn industry certifications. This program will serve 180 diverse chemistry students and 29 club members, helping to foster scientific literacy, creativity, and community involvement across ETHS.

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