2004-2005 National Finalists
National Finalist Winners
$15,000 Scholarship
Shubha Lakshmi Bhat
The Baldwin School
West Chester, PA
Impact of Sun Safety Awareness on Adolescent Sunburn Incidence: A Three Year Study
"I was surprised to learn that skin cancer is one of the most preventable forms of cancer, yet the epidemic is rising in correlation with adolescent sun exposure."
Shubha first became interested in the topic of skin cancer when she visited a little girl in the hospital who was undergoing chemotherapy. While the "Hats for Cancer Patients" program helped bring comfort to children suffering from cancer, Shubha felt compelled to do something to help prevent some of the cancers from even occurring. She created a three year study that evaluated the effects of increased sun safety education among adolescents. While this year's YES competition is now over, she has extended her project by surveying additional schools in the Bahamas, Florida, California and Montana. Shubha is a Bharatha Natyam dancer (Indian classical dance) and member of the debate team. She helped found a self-defense club at her high school and serves as the editor of her school newspaper. She plans to study biology and economics at Harvard University in preparation for a career in medicine and public health.
Molly P. Burges
Gainesville High School
Gainesville, FL
Breathless for Power: Evaluation of the Effect of a Coal-Fired Power Plant on Asthma Rates in Children
"I live three miles from a coal-fired power plant and attended an elementary school with high asthma rates. Local concerns regarding adding a new power plant inspired me to question whether current air pollutants were having a measurable effect on the health of children."
Molly's younger brother has suffered from severe chronic asthma for a number of years. When her community was considering the addition of a new plant, she designed a study to evaluate the rates of asthma in elementary school children as a function of distance from the existing plant and nitrogen oxide (NOx) levels. She discovered that NOx levels are statistically correlated to asthma rates in children. Molly is a member of the National Honor Society and volunteers at a number of local organizations, including the Florida Wildlife Care and a retirement center. She plans to study biology (pre-med) at New College.
David Gershel
Byram Hills High School
Bedford, NY
The Epidemiology of Heat Illness Among High School Athletes and their Awareness of Prevention Strategies, Risk Factors and Signs and Symptoms
"I was amazed at the fact that so many well-conditioned teen athletes could become so ill from exercising in extreme heat, yet so many had limited knowledge of the symptoms and risk factors."
During a summer pre-season soccer practice, David's friend fell victim to heat syncope even though he was in excellent physical shape. This motivated David to explore various aspects of the illness. He discovered a dramatic need for increased education about heat illnesses for young athletes. David leads his high school's peer tutoring club and volunteers with the Special Olympics. He also enjoys music, hockey, and skiing. He plans to study biology (pre-med) at Colgate University.
Andrew Iliff
Blue Valley High School
Stillwell, KS
Performance Enhancement Supplement Usage by Teenagers: A Primary Survey of the Prevalence, Variety and Duration of Performance Enhancement Supplement Usage by Teens During High School
"I saw stories on the news about the deaths of some high school athletes being linked to supplements. I was surprised to find that performance-enhancing supplement usage is not limited just to athletes."
As the skinniest of four brothers, and after seeing his brothers take creatine supplements, Andrew wanted to explore the long-term effects and risks. He was also intrigued by rapid weight gain and muscle mass increases in classmates as well as the ongoing controversy regarding professional athletes. Andrew analyzed the amounts and types of supplements being used by high school students. He discovered that the supplements are used much more widely than other studies have revealed and that usage extends well beyond athletes. Andrew has served as class president the last two years and is a member of the National Honor Society. He's also a member of the cross-country and tennis teams. As a junior, he is interested in pursuing a chemistry degree in college.
Allison Roggenburg
Ankeny High School
Ankeny, IA
The Study of Acne in a Suburban Midwest School
"I found that products advertised as 'acne clearing' had little to no effect on actual acne bacteria in a clinical experiment."
Allison had worked with her doctor to find an appropriate and effective acne medication. Her doctor recommended an antibacterial hand soap, not a specific "acne fighting" product. She conducted a clinical experiment and discovered that most advertised acne products were extremely ineffective in preventing or eliminating Propioni Baterium. Allison is a member of her high school's debate and speech teams, works in the biology lab, and volunteers at an adult day center. She plans to study microbiology and communication at the University of Iowa.
Peter J. Rossi
Clearwater Central Catholic High School
New Port Richey, FL
Disease Propagation Through Connective Paths: Application of the Small World Theory to Epidemic Modeling
"I was inspired by the fact that this area of cardiovascular research was uncharted territory. Almost nothing was known of the trend I examined."
While shadowing a cardiologist one summer and while reviewing his cases, Peter noticed a trend of rapid increases in coronary atherosclerotic lesions. While doing some follow up research, he discovered that almost no previous research existed on the topic. Peter's project assessed the risk factors and the characteristics of the rapid progression of lesions. He is a member of the National Honor Society as well as the Spanish and Math Honor Societies. Peter serves on the student council and is a member of the varsity swim team. He plans to study chemistry at Harvard University.