AP Chemistry Class is Small but Mighty

Aesop has been credited with having penned the proverb: “Good things come in small packages.” Regardless of who first wrote the phrase, Dr. Nicolosi agrees. This year’s AP Chemistry class is small but mighty, according to teacher Dr. Ralph Nicolosi.

Its members, Grace Demboski, Andy Fassbender, Patrick Mulligan, and Noah Weaver headline the rigorous college level experience and work together as one lab group.

In addition to the enhanced one on one interaction a small class affords, Dr. Nicolosi and his students have been able to explore organic chemistry topics and techniques such as distillation, refluxing, and extraction. These are sophisticated activities rarely performed in high school chemistry labs.

The close knit team also learned how to cut and bend glass tubing and fire polish their new creations; techniques usually reserved for the college chemistry lab. Also, the small chemistry group has had the opportunity to set up, prepare solutions for, and administer labs for the other chemistry classes offered at Watterson.

“This is a special group of talented and driven students and they have enriched my teaching experience through their enthusiasm, team work, and attitude. We have been able to explore areas and concepts inaccessible to large classes,” said Dr. Nicolosi.

Indeed, good things do come in small packages.