| The Project SIESTA journey began with my eighth grade science fair project regarding the correlations between sleep habits and day time alertness of preadolescents and teenagers. It evolved into a community problem-solving endeavor called Project SIESTA (Students Involved in the Education of Sleep Hygiene for Teen Adolescents). Our project was selected as Texas Grand Champion in Community Problem Solving and we got 2nd prize overall at the International Conference in University of Wisconsin at La Crosse. We reached out to teens with our website www.projectSIESTA.com and motivated adolescents with the video above.Discovering the connections between Sleep and Childhood Obesity compelled me to found an organization called CHOOSE HEALTH (Childhood Obesity Overcome by Sleep Education, Healthy Eating and Aerobically Loving The Heart). Pursuing my passion has opened several doors for me. Among the most fun experiences was the chance to spend my summer and winter in 10th grade studying the role of hierarchy and gender on the Sleep habits of Chimpanzees at the Houston Zoo, speaking before hundreds of teenagers and being on a panel discussion with leading thinkers on Healthy Schools. |
| I have had booths or presented papers or posters at leading conferences both nationally and internationally including CHEST 2009 in San Diego, SLEEP 2010 in San Antonio, CHEST 2010 in Vancouver, SLEEP 2011 in Miinneapolis, CHEST 2011 in Honolulu, and SLEEP 2012 in Boston.I was recognized as the youngest presenter of a paper and talk at CHEST 2010. There have been several articles about my pioneering work in promoting Sleep Hygiene among Teens. Among these were articles in Sleep Review, in the EMBLA News Magazine, in the CHEST Proceedings, as well as in several leading health news-zines, for example:
Eureka Alert
Stanford SCOPE Blog
Yahoo News
My project was recognized by the CHEST Foundation with the $5000 McCaffrey Grant. |
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