"Biomedical Breakthroughs and My Life" Middle School Essay Contest

How does biomedical research impact you?

Have you (or has someone in your family) benefited from vaccinations, pharmaceutical drugs, medical  devices, surgery, or transplants?

How does biomedical research affect the health of your dog, cat, or other pet?

How might biomedical research touch your life in the future?

CONGRATULATIONS to the 2012 Winners!

Thank you to all of the participants in this year's essay contest!  Over 215 entries were received from 7th and 8th grade students in Washington, Oregon and Montana and over 110 researchers volunteered to serve as judges.  The quality of the essays made selecting winners very difficult.

PLACE        NAME                                  TOPIC                                 SCHOOL                                 TEACHER
                                         Click on topic to read winning essays.

General Category

1st          Griffin Scott-Rifer             Artificial Insemination       Washington Middle School         Stella Bass

2nd         Jackson deCampos          Scoliosis                              The Evergreen School                  Lindsey Own

3rd          Ezra Robinson                  Computed Tomography     The Evergreen School                  Lindsey Own

Honorable Mention (HM) in alphabetical order

HM          Quinn Angelou-Lysaker    Obsessive-Complulsive    Lake Washington Girls                Kirsten Rooks
                                                              Disorder                             Middle School

HM          Kendall Matt                       Diabetes                             St. Anne School                            Lisette Nenninger

HM          Nicole McHenry                 Deep Brain Stimulation    St. Anne School                            Lisette Nenninger

HM          Aidan Nickels                      Radiation in Children       The Evergreen School                  Lindsey Own

English Language Learner (ELL) Category

1st          Tammy Nguyen                  Asthma                               Sacajawea MS, Federal Way         Daleena Blair

HM          Dinh Chung                        Biomedical Engineering   Woodmont K-8, Des Moines         Alan Harvey

CONTEST HIGHLIGHTS

• Students submitted 400-650 word essays with a reflective paragraph.

• Researchers served as judges and provided comments to every student.

• There was a separate category for English Language Learners (ELL).

• Cash awards were given to 1st-2nd-3rd place winners.

• The winning students, their parents and teachers were invited to an Awards Day at Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle where they will have the opportunity to visit with scientists, tour labs and participate in hands-on lab activities.

Student essays explored the process of biomedical research and the relevance of biomedical breakthroughs to themselves, their family, friends, or pets.  Students chose topics that impacted their lives - cancer treatments received by a relative, asthma medications that they are taking, or vaccinations given to their pet - and explained how animal models and/or human clinical trials have contributed to those biomedical treatments and cures.

The essay contest and Awards Day was made possible through the generous sponsorship of:
                                     Knossos Foundation
                                   Domino's Pizza, 714 Taylor Ave N, Seattle

For more information, contact Reitha Weeks at rweeks@nwabr.org or 206-957-3337x305.

Read previous winning essays: (To read online, once open in Acrobat, use toolbar function to rotate.)
       2008 Overall winning essays
       2009 Overall winning essays
       2009 Western Washington winning essays
       2010 Western Washington winning essays