Lake Country 10:17 a.m. CT April 13, 2017

Nature Hill Intermediate School students took three of the four top places in a statewide chemistry competition. The winner was Nature Hill eighth-grader Ryan Swanson who will go on to the national competition June 19.(Photo: Scott Ash)

Students from Nature Hill Intermediate School swept three of the four top places in the 2017 Wisconsin You Be The Chemist State Challenge, and one of the studentswill go on to represent Wisconsin in the national chemistry competition.

Eighth-grader Ryan Swanson has won an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C., where he willcompete June 19.

The Wisconsin competition, held at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, wassponsored by the Alpha Tau chapter of Sigma Alpha Sororityof Madisonand Brenntag Great LakesLLCof Wauwatosa.

Taking second place wasBrendan Mortenson-Chrisman of Nature Hill Intermediate School, third was Elizabeth Scott of Holy Family Homeschoolersand fourth was Mike Krueger of Nature Hill Intermediate School. Each of the top four finalists was awarded a plaque, medaland gift card.

All correctly answered dozens of chemistry and general science questions over multiple rounds of competition.

The challenge was developed by the Chemical Educational Foundation. Students in fifth through eighth grades answered questions for prizes at local and state levels.

Each national competition participant will receive an advanced-level chemistry kit, as well as other prizes and gifts. The first- through fourth-place winners will also receive scholarships totaling $18,500.

Mike Schick, a chemist at one of the sponsors, Brenntag Great Lakes, paid tribute to Nature Hill Intermediate School Chemistry Club teacher Tim Bohlman.

"Tim has done an excellent job teaching fifth- to eighth-grade students to sharpen their chemistry knowledge in preparation for the competition, Schick said in a news release announcing the state winners.

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Oconomowoc's Nature Hill Intermediate School students win state chemistry competition - Lake Country Now