MCHS celebrates Mole Day

By Jane DeGeorge
Eagle Reporter
Published: November 20, 2008

Julie Heffron isn’t obsessed with small, furry mammals known for burrowing. Really.

But you might think otherwise upon entering her Madison County High School chemistry class. First, there’s the human-size cardboard mole near the doorway. Then comes the numerous cakes, posters, games and other mole-inspired items covering the classroom. All merely signal that it’s National Mole Day.

From 6:02 a.m. to 6:02 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, chemistry students across the country take a break from mixing solutions in test tubes and memorizing the periodic table to honor the “mole” – a key measurement unit in chemistry.

A “mole” of a particular substance includes 6.02 times 10 to the 23rd power – also known as Avogadro’s Number – of molecules or atoms, thus the date and time of the occasion.

Although the celebration was borne from this specific definition of a mole – students spend the day recognizing all of the word’s other meanings.
After the bell rang and the students prepared to cut out small, black adhesive fake beauty marks (or “moles”) to stick on their faces, Principal Mike Sisler made an upsetting announcement. 

“Unfortunately, Mrs. Heffron had to leave for the day,” Sisler told the teacher’s afternoon class.

“On Mole Day?!?” gasped MCHS junior Ellie Hill.

“Mrs. Heffron is so dedicated to Mole Day, you know she must be really sick if she went home,” Sisler explained.

Although the chemistry teacher was sorely missed throughout the occasion, the students found a way to go on without her. Michelle Styles, a student from Heffron’s chemistry class that met earlier in the day, instead headed the celebration while a substitute teacher kept everything in order.

Leading up to the day, students had worked hard preparing various mole-related projects. The assignments included games – like a mole-shaped beanbag toss – and special themed treats – including “moles” made out of chocolate-covered cherries and chocolate Hershey’s Kisses.

Some of the ambitious students also competed for the biggest prize of the day – the title of Mole Day Prince and Princess.

The walls of the high school were lined with campaign posters for each of the several candidates, including one that touted duo Tori Puryear and David Falk as the “tallest moles alive.”

When asked why she was running for the coveted title, Tori admitted it was mostly due to the 25 extra credit points that would be awarded to the winners.
“But, if you want a fake answer, I did it because I think I would present moles fairly,” she said smiling.

Despite that the campaign speeches presented by both Tori and David and their fellow competing candidates, Chandler Dyer and Ashley Lillard, were both very similarly based on Martin Luther King Jr.’s famed “I Have a Dream” speech, it was the “tallest moles alive” who pulled off the win.

After accepting their respective crowns, Tori, David and the rest of the members of their project’s group, showcased a home video they had made in celebration of Mole Day – titled “A Day in the Life of a Molelympian.”

As the video opens, David, playing a human-sized “mole,” is seen sleeping in a pile of leaves when suddenly his trainer Avogadro, played by fellow MCHS junior Ellie, awakes him. After rising, the “mole” starts his day of training for the mole-version of the Olympics by lifting weights, digging holes and attempting to eat 6.02 Twinkies without throwing up.

Unfortunately, for both David and those watching, he failed the last task. Despite the somewhat off-putting end to the group’s video – the students continued on to the back of the classroom to dig in to the numerous mole-inspired baked goods and cakes.

“[Mole Day] is a great break from ‘real’ chemistry,” said Ashley, as she played the board game “Moley,” a mole-inspired version of the board game “Sorry.”
But the day wasn’t all just fun and games – some of the students’ projects included chemistry trivia and facts about the mole, as it relates to science. 
“It’s a good review of stuff we’ve already learned,” Ashley said.

After all, the whole purpose of the day is to celebrate Avogadro’s accomplishments and “foster interest and awareness in chemistry.”

“To an extent I’m surprised by their projects sometimes since they work on them mostly outside of class,” Heffron said of the students Mole Day assignments, which have included anything from pin the tail on the “mole,” Mole Day rap songs, “mole” piñatas and “mole bowling.”

“Each class’ celebrations are a little bit different,” she The Eagle. “But [the students] are all excited and it is an unusual and creative way to show how interesting chemistry can be.”