Youth Science Contest returns with updated Washington Tracking Network website
For immediate release: March 10, 2026 (26-033)
Contact: DOH Communications
OLYMPIA – High school students from across Washington are invited to take part in the fifth annual Washington Tracking Network (WTN) Youth Science Contest. This competition gives students the chance to explore health and environmental data from their communities while sharpening their science and communication skills.
This year, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) improved the way the WTN website works and looks forward to the creative ways the state’s students use real-world data to develop solutions.
"Students who take our health information and turn it into creative solutions can have a real impact on helping their communities be healthy,” said Jennifer Sabel, Environmental Epidemiology Supervisor. “We are delighted with the way this contest has grown since we started it!"
The updates to WTN’s Environmental Health Disparities (EHD) Map address gaps identified through Tribal consultation and community engagement across the state. The updates help users more easily find preventable, environmentally related differences in disease, injury, or violence trends as well as opportunities to achieve greater health.
Version 3.0 uses the ArcGIS platform and has new data, new measures, and new ways to address previous versions’ gaps. These updates help users of the EHD Map find environmental and health disparities in Washington. With the new EHD map, users can better focus resources for communities where they will have the greatest effect improving health.
DOH is committed to continuing to work to improve the EHD Map with the help of partners across the state.
WTN is a DOH program dedicated to making public health data accessible. By providing health and environmental data, developing partnerships, and supporting data-driven decisions, WTN aims to improve health and equity across Washington.
How the contest works
Students can choose from three project tracks:
- Health science: Analyze WTN data to find patterns, impacts, or disparities.
- Science communication: Use WTN data to highlight an important issue and create a message that raises awareness or drives action.
- Program and policy design: Develop a public policy proposal or collaborate with a local organization to improve a program using WTN tools and data.
Projects must include WTN data, an equity-focused analysis, clear communication with visuals, and a reflection on the process. Students have now until April 15 to complete their projects.
How to enter
Students must register their projects by 11:59 p.m. on March 31 and submit final projects by 11:59 p.m. April 15. More details, resources, and examples are on the WTN contest page.
Judging and awards
A panel of DOH public health experts will evaluate the projects. Results will be announced in late May. Winners will receive a plaque and have their work featured on DOH’s social media channels and WTN’s webpage. First-place winners will get a mentoring session with an expert to help expand their project and gain professional insights.
Our website is your source for a healthy dose of information. Get updates by following us on social media.
###
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
