Plainfield North High School senior Jason Phung will be among 1,000 students nationwide to compete in the National Chemistry Olympiad April 14-18, 2011.

Phung could also possibly earn a chance to compete with the United States team at the International Chemistry Olympiad in Ankara, Turkey from July 9-18, 2011. The top 20 scoring students at the National Chemistry Olympiad are invited to a special study camp, at which they try to win a spot on the U.S. team.

The International Chemistry Olympiad is an annual competition for the world’s most talented secondary school chemistry students.

Nations from around the world send four-member teams, who are tested on their chemistry knowledge and skills in a five-hour laboratory practical exam and a five-hour written theoretical exam.

Phung was one of 11 PNHS AP Chemistry students to take part in the Chemistry Olympiad on March 22, 2011 at the University of St. Francis.

“Jason is a diligent student and I am very proud of his achievement, said PNHS Chemistry teacher Dr. John Thurmond.

The 11 PNHS students who competed in the regional Chemistry Olympiad were juniors Caitlin Kruse, Aanchal Patel and Iffat Waris; and seniors Michael Denney, Kyung Lee, Emily Maybach, Arielle Mendoza, Amanda Murphy, Jun Na, Phung, and Linzy Wagner.

“They all did very well on the test,” Thurmond said.