The Chicago Section American Chemical Society in 2000 reached out to youngsters, assisted aspiring students, and honored its most esteemed colleagues. National Chemistry Week exposed over 1,100 Chicago-area children of all ages to the wonders of chemistry. Scholarships to high scorers in the High School Scholarship Examination in Chemistry exceeded $13,000. And four outstanding chemists received the Section’s highest honors. This report reflects on these and the many other activities of the past year that helped the Chicago Section accomplish its new mission: to encourage the advancement of chemical sciences and their practitioners.