Two sophomores will receive scholarships for their performance in an exam hosted by the American Chemical Society for first-year chemistry students. 

Keira Harter earned three scholarships: she placed first overall, was the highest-scoring female student, and was the highest-scoring student in Chicago. Sonakshi Mutreja placed third overall and will also receive a scholarship. 

Both students were selected to take the exam by chemistry teacher Jim Catlett and completed practice tests in preparation.

“I’m honored. It was, like, an incredibly difficult exam competing against some of the brightest students who have been nominated,” Sonakshi said. “I’m really happy that I was able to perform well on it.” 

Keira was very happy that both she and Sonakshi placed. 

Keira said, “I don’t think I’ve done something like that before, so it was honestly a little surreal. I don’t know, I was kind of, like, in disbelief.”