Vivek Choksi of Los Altos Hills Named Regional Finalist in the Young Epidemiology Scholars (YES) Competition

Vivek Choksi of Los Altos Hills Named Regional Finalist in the Young Epidemiology Scholars (YES) Competition

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 31, 2010 -- Vivek Choksi, a senior at Henry M.
Gunn High School, was recently named a Regional Finalist in the
prestigious Young Epidemiology Scholars (YES) Competition
(www.collegeboard.com/yes), the nation's leading public health
competition for high school students. He will compete for a college
scholarship of up to $50,000 in Washington, D.C., April 23-26, 2010.
Mr. Choksi was chosen for his work in determining risk factors for
cardiac death in the veteran population.

"With the nation facing a potentially catastrophic shortage of public
health professionals, it is critical that we cultivate the next
generation of public health talent," said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D.,
M.B.A., President and CEO, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "Vivek's
outstanding work demonstrates that the future of epidemiology holds
great promise."

The YES Competition was established in 2003 by the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation and the College Board to inspire talented high school
students to apply epidemiological methods to the investigation of
public health issues and, ultimately, encourage the brightest young
minds to enter the field of public health. By 2020, the United States
will face a shortfall of more than 250,000 public health workers,
according to the Association of Schools of Public Health.

Ms. Choksi is one of 60 Regional Finalists invited to the nation's
capital to present their projects to a panel of distinguished judges
comprised of leading epidemiologists and public health experts. This
year's judges include epidemiologists from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, the former Deputy Commissioner for New York
City's Department of Health, and the Chief of the California
Department of Public Health's Center for Infectious Disease, among
other prominent public health figures. All 60 Regional Finalists are
awarded at least $2,000 each. The top 12 YES Scholars advance to
compete as National Finalists for scholarships ranging from $15,000 to
$50,000. This year's 12 National Finalists will be announced Monday,
April 26.

"Teaching new generations about epidemiology has tremendous value not
only for those who go on to pursue careers in public health but for
all students. Through the study of epidemiology, students expand their
understanding of scientific methods and critical thinking," said
Gaston Caperton, President of the College Board. "These students are
addressing national and global health issues that are shaping the
world around us. We look forward to seeing the outcomes of their hard
work in the future."

The YES Competition awards nearly $500,000 in college scholarships
annually to 120 high school students. To date, the YES Competition
has awarded more than $3.2 million in scholarships. More than 4,000
students from all 50 states, as well as Puerto Rico, the District of
Columbia and American Samoa, have entered the YES Competition since
its inception. Six hundred thirty nine students entered in 2010.
Past winners have investigated bird flu outbreaks in humans,
posttraumatic stress disorder in combat veterans, and the link between
sleep deprivation and teen obesity, among many other urgent public
health challenges of our time.