The pharmaceutical industry has been a major player in
improving
life expectancies and driving chemistry employment. While computational
chemistry tools increasingly guide pharmaceutical research decisions,
high school and undergraduate chemistry curricula do not reflect the
prevalence of such techniques. Incorporation of computational tools
into chemistry education is warranted to support industry-relevant
learning experiences, student motivation to pursue chemistry careers,
and public understanding of STEM careers and medicines. Therefore,
this paper outlines how a computer-aided drug design (CADD) tool was
introduced to high school students as a classroom project in tandem
with traditional course material. Materials are provided to assist
instructors in replicating this project in their own courses.