What do you get when you mix elephant toothpaste, balloon helicopters, and a team of chemical engineers? A classroom full of wide-eyed students and hands-on learning they’ll never forget!

For the second year in a row, Monument Chemical brought science to life during an immersive STEAM Lab takeover at Meade County’s College & Career Center. The event, which spanned two days and engaged Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) students across grade levels, showcased just how exciting and relevant science can be — both in the lab and in life.

“Since our roots are here in Meade County, we’re always looking for ways to deepen our impact and spark curiosity in the next generation,” said Tonya Jeffries, HR Manager at the Monument Brandenburg, Kentucky site. “After last year’s success, we knew we wanted to go even bigger — with new experiments and new faces from our team.”

Led by Process Engineer Lead Allie Greenwood, the team designed a new lineup of interactive demonstrations to build on last year’s chemical reactions theme. The four new experiments — elephant toothpaste, chalk chromatography, oobleck, and balloon helicopters — offered a diverse mix of science, chemistry, and physics, tailored to returning students.

Fun with a Purpose
“We really wanted to mix it up this year,” said Allie. “Many of the students were joining us again, so we broadened the focus beyond just chemistry to include analytical techniques and mechanical principles. That variety kept the energy high and gave us more ways to connect the activities back to what we do at Monument.”

Each activity served as a window into real-world applications:

• Elephant toothpaste showcased an exothermic reaction with major wow factor — and tied directly to the chemical processes used at Monument.
• Chalk chromatography introduced students to analytical chemistry by separating marker pigments over time, mimicking quality control techniques used in labs.
• Oobleck, a non-Newtonian fluid, was as fun to squish as it was to measure, emphasizing the importance of accuracy and mixing.
• Balloon helicopters launched a discussion about air pressure, motion, and engineering principles.

“Even though many had seen elephant toothpaste before, they were thrilled to do it themselves,” said Allie. “They were comparing results and asking which ingredients had the biggest impact. It turned into a great critical thinking moment.”

From the Classroom to Career Paths
Gifted and Talented teacher Kala Robinson sees events like this as crucial to building student confidence and career awareness. “This kind of hands-on STEAM is powerful,” she said. “It’s not just about getting the right answer. It’s about experimenting, failing, trying again, and realizing you’re capable of solving real problems.”

The experience also introduced students to a broad range of roles within Monument, from lab and R&D professionals to production and utilities engineers — including Cade Miller, a recent engineering grad and Meade County alum, who shared his own path from local student to industry professional.

“Getting to see professionals — especially someone like Cade who sat in their same classrooms — makes it real,” said Kala. “They start to see themselves in these careers, and that changes everything.”

A Lasting Impact
The energy in the room was contagious, and the student feedback proved it. “They were amazed, curious, and so engaged,” said Allie. “And they remembered terms we introduced last year — like exothermic and solution — which was really rewarding.”

Students even stayed engaged long after the last balloon landed. “The chromatography experiment continued to develop throughout the day as the pigment spread up the chalk,” Allie added. “That long-term observation made a big impression — and led to even more questions.”

Tonya sees this as just the beginning. “These students are the future of our community — and maybe even our industry,” she said. “When they connect what they’re learning to real careers, and see that those careers exist right here in Brandenburg, that’s where the magic happens.”

As Monument continues to grow its partnership with Meade County Schools, one thing’s for sure: the reactions — both chemical and personal — will keep getting bigger.