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Projects on Multiple Sclerosis and Teen Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Use Take Top Honors in National Science Competition

Megan Blewett and William Slack Win $50,000 College Scholarships in YES Competition

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Megan Blewett from Madison High School in Madison, New Jersey and William Slack from Decatur High School in Decatur, Georgia, were awarded $50,000 college scholarships today for taking first-place honors in the Young Epidemiology Scholars (YES) Competition, one of the nation's most prestigious and influential high school science competitions.

The YES Competition, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and administered by the College Board, is designed to spur students' interest in the field of public health, specifically epidemiology. Epidemiology explores patterns of disease, illness. and injury within populations, with the goal of developing methods for prevention, control and treatment to improve health.

Megan's project was entitled "A Space/Time Epidemiological Comparison of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)." Having researched the issue of MS since eighth grade, Megan found a common geographic pattern of MS and ALS in the United States. Active in the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and a regular speaker at MS fundraising events, she believes her research may shed light on a common environmental factor or trigger for the two diseases.

Will's project was entitled "Teen Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Use: A Social Network Examination." Developing a highly innovative social networking analysis method, Will found that high school students' level of alcohol use tends to be similar within the same group of friends and tends to take place in larger groups. Marijuana and tobacco use, however, tends to be more individualistic and appears to occur in smaller groups. Will believes his findings can be used to better understand teen substance abuse behaviors and shape future interventions around the issues of drugs and peer pressure.

YES competitors each developed a research project in which they identified a health problem, gathered data about that problem, and addressed the problem based on the data they gathered. Megan and Will were among 60 high school students selected out of more than 700 who entered from across the country to compete in the finals in the nation's capital. Topics this year included HPV, obesity, sleep deprivation, teen stress, and the effects of video games on health.

The winners in the national competition were chosen by a panel of judges that included some of the nation's top epidemiologists, as well as high school teachers and curriculum developers. The competitors gave oral presentations about their projects and fielded questions from judges.

"The YES Competition encourages students to use the same skills employed by epidemiologists to tackle important health challenges," said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., president and C.E.O. of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "Megan and Will displayed amazing initiative, talent, and hard work in winning this prestigious competition. Their projects show what a difference America's youth can make in improving the lives of those around them."

While the highly competitive scholarship contest focuses on epidemiology, application of the research skills used in the YES Competition extends far beyond that field.

"The YES Competition encourages students to use advanced research methods to help analyze today's major public health problems," said Gaston Caperton, president of the College Board. "Problem-solving and critical thinking skills will serve these students well not only in the pursuit of any college major, but throughout their careers and lives."

Click here to see the 2006-07 National Winners