Congratulations to our winners and thank you all for participating. Happy DNA Day!
Thank you for making this another successful year! We received many submissions from students in 45 U.S. states, and 24 non-U.S. countries, including Turkey, Canada, and India, which had the highest number of submissions outside of the U.S. We would also like to thank the ASHG members who participated in judging the essays. Participating judges and students should contact dnaday@ashg.org for participation certificates.
ASHG has put together a fact sheet explaining Huntington Disease to address any questions or misconceptions about the disease. Download, print, and share this document.
Questions about the 2019 question, and any other human-genetics related questions, can be answered in ASHG’s Genetics Engagement & Education Network. This Network is made up of human genetics experts who have volunteered their time to be a resource and answer your questions at no cost to you.
2019 Question
Jonathan, age 50, has just been diagnosed with Huntington disease (HD). His genetic counselor, Karen, seeks Jonathan’s consent to disclose this diagnosis to his daughter, Sarah, who is 25. Jonathan refuses to allow Karen or anyone else on the medical staff to reveal this diagnosis to Sarah. (1) Present arguments for and against Jonathan’s position by discussing the relevant goals, rights, and duties of each of the parties in this case. (2) Then choose one argument to defend, using your knowledge of the scientific and medical aspects of HD. Be certain to use your knowledge of the scientific and medical aspects of HD to support your views.
2019 Winners
(courtesy Lakeside School)
1st Place: Sophia Chen, Grade 11
Teacher: Dr. Devin Parry
School: Lakeside School
Location: Seattle, Washington
2nd Place: Yanna Bravewolf, Grade 9
Teacher: Dr. Isabelle Cohen
School: The Potomac School
Location: McLean, Virginia
3rd Place: Irene Calderon, Grade 9
Teacher: Mrs. Karen Suder
School: The Summit Country Day
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Honorable Mentions
| Emma Gurcan Partnership for Scientific Inquiry Portland, Oregon Teacher: Dr. Tammy Martin |
Grace McDevitt Convent of the Sacred Heart Greenwich, Connecticut Teacher: Dr. Kristina Gremski |
| Weston Hicks The Potomac School McLean, Virginia Teacher: Dr. Isabelle Cohen |
Edward Tucker Scott Ranney School Tinton Falls, New Jersey Teacher: Ms. Leslie Patient |
| Alex Hu Darien High School Darien, Connecticut Teacher: Ms. Christine Leventhal |
Sarina Smith Plymouth Whitemarsh High School Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania Teacher: Prof. Sabina McNally |
| Sydney Kim Convent of the Sacred Heart Greenwich, Connecticut Teacher: Dr. Kristina Gremski |
Shifa Somji Newport High School Bellevue, Washington Teacher: Ms. Margaret Will |
| Katherine Lei Montgomery Blair HS Silver Spring, Maryland Teacher: Ms. Darcy Sloe |
Manu Sundaresan Winston Churchill High School Potomac, Maryland Teacher: Mr. Jonathan Lee |
| Shelli Lewis Los Altos High School Los Altos, California Teacher: Mrs. Lisa Cardellini |
Where in the world our submissions come from:
About the Contest
The contest aims to challenge students to examine, question, and reflect on important ideas and issues related to human genetics. Competitive essays are expected to convey substantive, well-reasoned, and evidence-based arguments that demonstrate deep understanding.
Essays are evaluated through three rounds of judging, and every essay is read by a minimum of three judges. Top-scoring essays have typically been scored by a dozen or more judges.
We’ve announced our 2020 question! Find it on the DNA Day homepage.
Read the 2019 DNA Day Essay Contest Announcement Press Release.
Questions/Comments: Contact dnaday@ashg.org