Vibe Tribe: Henkel helps students at Isenberg with science experiments
Published 1:00 am Thursday, March 26, 2026
SALISBURY — Isenberg Elementary School students donned lab coats and goggles earlier this month and conducted unique experiments with the help of Henkel’s community engagement team.
It was no ordinary day in the classroom for Isenberg’s young scientists. Benny Young, a Henkel material supervisor and event organizer, said that was exactly the point.
“Engineers and chemists are coming out and we are going to facilitate an experiment so that they can feel a part of something,” Young said. “It is not just a scientific project, it is an experience we are bringing.”
Across the 90-minute session, students participated in three experiments:
• The Unbreakable Bubble
• Elephant Toothpaste
• The PH of Red Cabbage
The experiments were conducted by the Henkel group called the Vibe Tribe.
“One vibe at a time, we provide engagements for the community,” Young said.
Henkel operates worldwide with leading innovations, brands and technologies in two business units: Henkel Consumer Brands and Adhesive Technologies.
In North America, Henkel has about 70 sites, including one in Salisbury, and 8,000 employees.The company’s portfolio includes well-known consumer goods and industrial brands like Dial soaps, All laundry detergents, Snuggle fabric softeners as well as Loctite adhesives.
Business aside, Young said they are also passionate about giving back. In this case it was Isenberg Elementary, but last year the Vibe Tribe worked with Hurley Elementary. Young praised the latest partnership and thanks Principal Sean Day for welcoming them into the classroom.
“Through his leadership, he has allowed us to come in and we are grateful to be a part of Isenberg,” Young said.
Prior to becoming a principal, Day, like many educators, taught in the classroom.
“Before I came (to Isenberg) I was at Salisbury High School as an administrator but before that I was a teacher and a coach and I taught science for nine years,” Day said. “I also have a degree in biology.
“I am biased in some ways because I know if you can hook kids with an experiment you can do so much with it.”
Along with Young, other personnel from Henkel assisted in conducting the experiments in each classroom. Engineers Cody Ray, Chey Cooper and Michael Halbach, along with chemist Tangela Johnson, walked the students through the various learning exercises, as they saw with their own eyes the transformative powers of science.
The goal and vision of the exercises came to life as Isenberg students stood at the crossroads of curiosity and scientific possibility. The Henkel personnel ensured safe passage along that journey while capturing the essence of a company stepping forward to provide materials for experimentation and allowing students to dream big by seeing themselves in the STEM fields.