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For immediate release: February 1, 2024 (24-015)
Contact: DOH Communications
Department of Health launches third annual science contest for high school students
Registration runs now through March 1, submissions due by April 15
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is calling on all high school students from across the Evergreen State to enter the Washington Tracking Network’s (WTN) third annual Youth Science Contest. The contest is an opportunity for high school students to develop their science and communication skills by working with health and environmental data from their own communities.
“The WTN Youth Science Contest has been DOH’s most successful contest to date. We think that’s because students learn how to work with data, communicate the knowledge they've learned about the health of their communities, and use that data to affect positive change,” said Jennifer Sabel, WTN manager. “Since its first year, the contest has almost tripled in size.”
Students can choose from three tracks:
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Health Science – students perform an analysis with WTN data to reveal correlations, impacts, and/or disparities.
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Science Communication – students identify an issue important to them using WTN data and develop a message to increase awareness or drive action related to the issue.
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Program and Policy Design – students use WTN tools and data to address health and equity concerns by developing a public policy proposal or working with a local organization to create or improve a project or program.
All tracks must include WTN data, an equity focus or analysis, clear communication and data visualization, and a reflection on the project process itself. Students are given two months to complete their project from February 15 - April 15.
A panel of DOH public health professionals judge the projects and winners will be announced in late May. Winners will receive a plaque and their project will be showcased on DOH’s social media and the WTN webpage. First-place winners will have the opportunity to meet with an expert for mentoring, project elaboration, and professional development.
Submissions must be received by midnight on April 15. You can find more information, resources, and project examples on WTN’s contest page.
WTN is a DOH program that makes public health data more accessible. WTN’s mission is to provide health and environmental data and tools, develop partnerships, and inform data-driven policy and programmatic decisions to improve health and health equity in Washington.
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