"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?
NWABR is pleased to continue our popular middle school essay contest for students in Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Idaho. This contest is open to all 7th and 8th grade students, whether entering as part of a class or individually.
Are you interested in participating?
Please complete this Intent to Participate form by Feb. 15.
CONTEST HIGHLIGHTS
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Students submit 400-650 word essays with a reflective paragraph (due March 9, 2012).
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Researchers serve as judges and provide comments to every student.
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There is a separate category for English as a Second Language (ESL) learners.
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Cash awards are given to regional winners.
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The winning students, their parents and teachers will be invited to an Awards Day where they will have the opportunity to visit with scientists, tour a regional research lab and participate in hands-on lab activities.
Student essays can explore the process of biomedical research and the relevance of biomedical breakthroughs to themselves, their family, friends, or pets. Students choose topics that impact their lives - cancer treatments received by a relative, asthma medications that they are taking, or vaccinations given to their pet - and explain how animal models and/or human clinical trials have contributed to those biomedical treatments and cures.
CONTEST TIMELINE
January-Feb Register intent to participate with NWABR - new, extended period for online registration!
March 9, 2012 Submit essay
April 13, 2012 Winners announced
May 4, 2012 Awards Day at Institute for Systems Biology
The essay contest is made possible through the generous sponsorship of the Knossos Foundation.
JUDGES NEEDED
Researchers are encouraged to sign-up to be judges. There will be two rounds of judging between March 14 - April 2. Essays will be emailed to judges. Each judge will score the essays (scoring rubric provided) and provide comments to each student.
Click here for the judge registration form.
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