The YES Competition at a Glance
Did you ever wonder if your social relationships affect your use of alcohol or cigarettes, or how your high school would handle the outbreak of a contagious disease?
Each year, 120 high school students just like you are awarded scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $50,000 when they do research to answer questions about the health problems of today.
About the YES Competition
The YES Competition is a fun and challenging nationwide scholarship competition. Students submit original research projects using the methods that epidemiologists utilize to discover ways to improve the health of the public.
"I've been in academic and scientific competitions of all forms, but I feel that I really learned the most from YES. I was in an environment where everyone encouraged each other and were genuinely interested in listening and helping me improve my work."
Jonathan Yeh
Troy High School
Fullerton, California
2007-08 National Finalist
"After studying for several hours in a small classroom where many of the students were sick, I wondered if this resulted from being in an environment where there was no fresh air or proper ventilation. I decided to study the effects of fresh air availability on classroom populations and found that students who had access to extra air flow significantly reduced their rates of illness, especially during cold and flu season."
Alainna Brown
Skyline High School
Idaho Falls, Idaho
2007-08 Regional Finalist
Explaining Epidemiology
Epidemiology is the scientific method used to investigate, analyze, and prevent or control a health problem in a population. Epidemiological methods are used in a wide variety of public health fields to help understand why a health problem occurs, how to prevent it, and how to keep it from spreading. Epidemiologists find the causes of health problems, identify which groups of people are most affected, and determine the best options for preventing a risky exposure or controlling and treating disease.
Stories that involve the work of epidemiologists appear frequently in the news:
- Outbreaks of illness from contaminated food
- Health effects of chronic stress
- Links between sleep and obesity
- Injuries from cell phone use while driving
Requirements for Participating
You can participate if you are a citizen or permanent resident of the United States and if you are a high school junior or senior currently attending school in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or the Mariana Islands.
The Kinds of Health Problems You Can Research
You can investigate health issues that matter to you, your family, friends, peers, or people in the world around you. Your research must be designed to answer a question that has a health condition or health risk factor as the outcome or dependent variable of interest.
For example, you might be interested in researching the effects of sleep deprivation in high school students. Possible associated health outcomes might include frequency of injuries, contagious illnesses, substance abuse, or changes in weight. In contrast, the effects of sleep deprivation on outcomes such as academic performance or reported ability to concentrate would not be eligible.
Students have won awards by submitting projects pertaining to the:
- Spread of influenza among grade-school children
- Association between air quality and respiratory illness
- Impact of global warming on the spread of malaria
- Effects of sunlight intensity on multiple sclerosis
You can see the topics of previous scholarship winners by clicking on any of the "Winners" pages under the YES Student Competition section of this website.
After identifying a topic you'll need to gather your own data, or you can use data collected by others. The next step is to perform an in-depth analysis of your research, make conclusions based on the results, and suggest ways in which the health of the population you studied could be improved based upon your findings.
Mentors as Resources
A mentor is not required but can be a valuable resource. A mentor can help you formulate an idea and can act as a consultant; however, you must complete the actual work on the project. You can ask your teacher, parent, or a person with experience in your area of research, to be your mentor.
Entering Your Project
Entering is very easy. All you need to do is complete an online registration form and upload your project online. That's all it takes!
The deadline to register and upload your project is February 1, 2010 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time.
Scholarship Awards Available
More than 560 Research Reports were received in 2008-09. Of these, 120 students received college scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $50,000.
- Up to 60 Semifinalists receive scholarship awards of $1,000.
- Up to 60 Regional Finalists receive an expense-paid trip to present their research at the regional and national competitions in Washington, D.C.
- 48 Regional Finalists receive scholarship awards of $2,000.
- 12 Regional Finalists compete in the national finals for awards ranging from $15,000 to $50,000:
- Six receive $15,000 each
- Two receive $20,000 each
- Two receive $35, 000 each
- Two receive $50,000 each
In addition to meeting other students with your same interests and having an exciting experience, regional finalists are able to meet and talk with some of the nation's most distinguished epidemiologists, public health professionals, and teachers.
"The YES Competition is not just about competing for a scholarship; it is
also an opportunity to interact with students from across the nation who are passionate about public health. And it allows you to meet pioneers in the field of public health."
Danielle LeePow
Benjamin Elijah Mays High School
Atlanta, Georgia
2007-08 National Finalist
Before registering, please read the 2009-10 Competition Information and Research Project Guidelines.
For questions, contact us by email at yes@collegeboard.org or by phone at 800-626-9795.