Have you ever been to a Journal-sponsored workshop? At most ACS national meetings we present workshops, exhibit the printed Journal, demonstrate JCE Software, and share tested ideas proven to enhance your classroom's learning environment. At the 17th BCCE we are presenting "Experiments for High School Chemistry That You Can Use" on Sunday, July 28; "Chemlab and JCE: The Easy Way to Find New, Peer-Reviewed Lab Experiments" on Monday, July 29; "Developing Demonstrations for the Classroom and the JCETested Demonstrations Feature" on Tuesday, July 30; and "Enliven Your Classroom with JCE's Chemistry Comes Alive!" on Wednesday, July 31. Monday to Wednesday you can also find us at booth 60 in the exhibit hall.

If you think that there is nothing in these programs for you, then you couldn't be more wrong--these meetings are wonderful experiences. You always learn a great deal, meet wonderful people, and enjoy fabulous parties! (BCCE includes the forever infamous Mole Day Breakfast¹¹ at 6:02 a.m. Wednesday, July 31.) Check out the individual conference(s) by visiting their Web sites and requesting a copy of the programs (many have PDFs available online.) The majority of the conferences encourage you to bring your family because there are always planned activities for old and young children alike to enjoy. Beyond the camaraderie, benefits from these conferences include recharging the mind, relaxing the stress, and realigning your curriculum. Sharing with other like-minded educators with similar interests and goals is a remarkable experience. Maybe you won't improve your Latin, but you might gain new insights into teaching chemistry.

Valete! (2, 3).¹²

Notes

1. The Latin phrase in the title of this article is the University of Texas' motto. This is Edwin W. Fay's Latin version of the Republic of Texas President Mirabeau Lamar's phrase, "Cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy." The motto is roughly translated as "Education, the safeguard of democracy." (The Alcalde, 2002, 90, 88 published by The Ex-Students' Association of The University of Texas.)
2. The 17th BCCE will be held in Bellingham, Washington, July 28-August 1, 2002; see p 660 or the conference Web site. (accessed Apr 2002)
3. The Fall 2002 ACS national meeting will be held in Boston, MA, August 18-22, 2002. (accessed Apr 2002)
4. Information on the Summer Workshops is available at the Flinn Foundation Web site. (accessed Apr 2002)
5. The Great Lakes Regional ACS Meeting will be held in Minneapolis, MN, June 2-4, 2002. (accessed Apr 2002)
6. The Northwest Regional ACS Meeting will be held in Spokane, WA, June 19-22, 2002. (accessed Apr 2002)
7. The Central Regional ACS Meeting will be held in Ypsilanti, MI, June 26-29, 2002. (accessed Apr 2002)
8. The International Conference on Chemical Education (ICCE) will be held in Beijing, China, August 6-10, 2002. (accessed Apr 2002)
9. Find more information at the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) conference Web site. (accessed Apr 2002)
10. Information is at the ChemEd '03 conference Web site. (accessed Apr 2002)
11. Consult the Mole Day Foundation Web site for more information. (accessed Apr 2002)
12. "Be Strong!" from the Latin, valere, "to be strong", also the root for valence.

Literature Cited

1. Pagni, D.; Harris, H.; Coppola, B.; Kovac, J. J. Chem. Educ. 2002, 79, 648.
2. Atkins, P. W. The Periodic Kingdom. BasicBooks: New York, 1995; p 138.
3. Mason, D. Valete. the reACT₂ant 2001, 8 (3), 3. Published by the Associated Chemistry Teachers of Texas.