Creative Learning with Fuel from Fries Project

Libertyville High School chemistry teacher Sherri Rukes wowed the District 128 Foundation board with her creative approach for a new project called Fuel from Fries. This is a renewable fuel project that answers the following questions:

How does the substitution of biodiesel fuel for petroleum diesel benefit the environment?

How do we make biodiesel fuel from waste vegetable oil?

How can this fuel-making process be adjusted to utilize waste oils from different sources, and what is the chemical analysis to determine oil quality?

How do we assess the finished products from the biodiesel reaction?

How do we address the issues of waste stream management in an environmentally responsible way?

The board voted unanimously to fund this project for $4,800 for the first year to equip 12 lab stations. If you would like more information on contributing to this or other upcoming projects, please contact the Foundation at foundation@d128.org.