The ACS Orange County High School First Year Chemistry Exam was held on Saturday April 26, 2025, from 8:45 AM to 11:15 AM in McCarthy Hall, California State University Fullerton, 800 N State College Blvd, Fullerton, CA 92831. A total of 197 students from 28 High Schools participated.
The best performers in the 1st year Exam were honored at the OCACS High School Awards Banquet held on Wednesday May 21, 2025, at Orange Coast College, 2701 Fairview Rd, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. The name of the top scorer from each school was engraved on a perpetual plaque. The Bruce Davis Award was given to the top scorer in the county. Team Awards were given to the six best High Schools based on the total score of the five highest ranking students.
This event also recognized the top students in the Orange County Chemistry Olympiad. The highest-scoring student from each school, the best six school teams and those who competed in the US National Chemistry Olympiad were honored at the Awards Dinner.
Chemistry project winners in the Senior and Junior sections of the Orange County Science Fair were given cash awards sponsored by the American Chemical Society.
Outstanding chemistry teachers and OCACS volunteers who have been serving their communities generously and enthusiastically for many years received awards from the Section, including the Carol Grimes Teacher of the Year Award, the OCACS Volunteer of the Year Award, and others.
Dinner for all student winners and their teachers was provided compliments of the OCACS.
Click the buttons below for the letters sent to the award-winners and their teachers and to open the 2025 Banquet Program (with all the winners’ names) and the photographs.
Here is an example of a retired ACS 1st-year Exam, and the corresponding Answer Key.
Click here for more information about the annual High School Exam and the High School Awards Banquet, as well as to find links to past events since 2014, including Award-winners’ names and photographs.