“Congratulations to the winning team and thank you to everyone who took part in this year’s competition. It is wonderful to see such keen interest in chemistry among young students. Every year, new talents emerge who truly surprise us with their enthusiasm and knowledge. Chemistry is a fascinating field full of discoveries and possibilities, and events such as the Challenge for a Chemist help children discover that science can be not only useful but also fun," said Piotr Kearney, Spolana's Executive. All three winning teams received a financial donation from the ORLEN Unipetrol Foundation to equip their school's chemistry laboratories. The Třebotov Chemists received CZK 20,000, Darlings from Neratovice received CZK 15,000, and the Dew team from Kralupy nad Vltavou received CZK 10,000.

This year's Challenge for a Chemist competition offered a rich programme full of practical tasks and teamwork. Under the guidance of experts from Spolana, the children tried their hand at water analysis, determining pH levels, the presence of chlorides, iron, and other substances. Firefighters from the Central Bohemian Region prepared a water hardness test for the competitors, allowing pupils to test their knowledge and practical skills in chemistry and physics. The Spolana firefighters provided excitement and action by preparing physically demanding disciplines for the children, including putting on a firefighting suit, which consisted of trousers, jacket, boots, helmet, and gloves, and crawling through a firefighting obstacle course that simulated real-life response under challenging conditions. In addition to the competition activities, the children also enjoyed a unique experience – a view of the entire Spolana site from a 40-metre-high firefighting platform.

This year, the chemical adventure programme was supplemented by educational activities with an ecological theme. Lecturers from the Brown Coal Research Institute prepared a varied and interactive block of activities for children, aimed at developing their environmental awareness, sensory perception and teamwork skills. In the water laboratory, children could try out simple experiments with water. The eco-trail offered fun quiz questions focused on environmental protection, and the mysterious suitcase, in which children guessed unusual and interesting objects related to nature and ecology, was also a great success. The last post was dedicated to learning through the senses, where participants explored how to perceive the world around them not only through sight, but also through touch, smell, and hearing. These activities not only enriched the competition programme but also contributed to the development of environmental literacy and curiosity among children.

The Challenge for a Chemist competition is intended for pupils in the second stage of primary school and lower grades of multi-year secondary schools. Its aim is to introduce children to the world of chemistry in a fun and engaging way and to encourage their interest in the natural sciences. The competition has two rounds. In the first round, participants take an online test focused on chemical knowledge and logical thinking. The best teams then advance to the final round, which takes place directly on Spolana premises and includes practical tasks, teamwork and physical disciplines prepared by professional firefighters. This year, 57 teams from a total of 30 schools participated, with many schools sending more than one team.

SPOLANA s.r.o. is one of the largest chemical companies in the Czech Republic and the only Czech producer of PVC and caprolactam. It also produces ammonium sulphate and sulphuric acid. The company employs more than 700 people. Spolana has been owned by the ORLEN Unipetrol group since 2016. ORLEN Unipetrol Group is the largest refining and petrochemical company in the Czech Republic. It focuses on crude oil processing and the production, distribution and sale of fuels and petrochemical products - mainly plastics and fertilizers. In all these areas, it is a major player on the Czech and Central European markets. The ORLEN Unipetrol Group includes refineries and production plants in Litvínov and Kralupy nad Vltavou, Paramo in Pardubice, Spolana in Neratovice and two research centres in Litvínov and Brno. ORLEN Unipetrol also includes a network of ORLEN petrol stations in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. ORLEN Unipetrol is one of the largest companies in the Czech Republic in terms of turnover. It employs almost 6,000 people. In addition to business development, ORLEN Unipetrol prides itself on being a socially responsible company. Therefore, it pays equal attention to initiatives aimed at cultivating and supporting sustainable development, education, local communities and the environment. In 2005, ORLEN Unipetrol became part of the ORLEN Group, the largest energy company in Central Europe.

Contact: Pavel Kaidl, spokesperson, phone: +420 225 001 407, +420 736 502 520, e-mail: pavel.kaidl@orlenunipetrol.cz