On Thursday, April 23, Mr. Baumgardner, the science club advisor, took students from the science club to compete in the 2026 state science exposition sponsored by Illinois Junior Academy of Science (IJAS) at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. The exposition took place from April 24 to April 25.
On the morning of April 24, Richwoods science club students were ready to compete in different categories ranging from agriculture, physics, and biochemistry. They arrived at the Banterra Center, Southern Illinois University for the 2026 state science exposition and went through three rounds of judging in the poster session. After the event was over on April 25, Richwoods students were proud to bring home awards for their hard work.
Over the past three years, the number of students who attended the state science exposition grew from one student to 19. Not only did the science club enjoy success at the state science exposition, but the club also saw a growing number of students joining the club.
On April 20, the science club also went to the Museum of Science and Industry. About 80 students went on one bus, and spent the day visiting different exhibits such as a whispering gallery or an interactive plastic exhibit. Not only did the science club students go on field trips and science fairs, but they also went to volunteer at different schools such as at Kellar and Northmoor primary schools.
Before the science state exposition in Carbondale, a group of science club students also went to compete at National Advancing Indigenous Science and Engineering Fair (NAISEF) in Oklahoma during the spring break. Josh Opherk’26, who attended NAISEF, said he had the opportunity to “meet a huge array of people from across the country with different scientific ambitions and goals.” He encourages students to join the science club as early as possible, “especially if they are interested in STEM as either a career or personal interest.” One of Josh’s most memorable events from the science club is visiting the Museum of Science and Industry and seeing the actual Apollo 8 Command Module.
Mr. Baumgardner thinks when students join the science club, they are able “to see that there are different ways to practice science beyond what we do in the classroom.” He also adds that students will see that “there are many ways to be active in the community” and that “promoting science education across the district can be extremely rewarding.”
Next year, Mr. Baugardner plans to find and provide even more ways for students to pursue their interests in science. He is currently looking to increase more science trips such as to Mattheisen or Jubilee State Park to learn about geology and the ecosystem. Mr. Baumgardner also tries to find a chance for science club students to work with a high-level research group such as Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont.
