Ossining Student Wins Gold Medal at Westchester ACT-SO Competition

Ossining High School senior Orion Douglas has won first place at the Westchester Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological, and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) competition. Orion's gold medal performance in the Medical and Health category has earned him the chance to represent the Westchester County region at the national competition this summer.

Founded in 1978 as a major initiative of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), ACT-SO provides a forum through which African-American youth can demonstrate academic, artistic and scientific prowess and expertise through various after school programs. The year-long experience culminates with the “Olympics of the Mind” competition and awards ceremony where students showcase their projects and are recognized for their achievements.

“This accomplishment means a lot to me,” Orion said of the honor. “I've put a lot of time and effort into my research and this award essentially validates all the work I've done. Ultimately, my research serves as a scientific foundation that I plan to build upon as I pursue a career in the medical field.”

Orion's award-winning research was conducted at the prestigious Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, where he worked alongside renowned scientists in the field of health and medicine. His project focused on the current limitations with ovarian cancer treatment, which is that each tumor is different and has its own environment that makes it hard to treat with one-size-fits-all therapies. Using a computer-based method and innovative technology, Orion and his team of researchers analyzed samples from a patient with ovarian cancer and found 18 different types of cells, including some that promote the growth of the disease. They also found that the cells in different parts of the body have different ways of promoting the cancer's growth. These findings could help doctors develop better treatments for ovarian cancer.

"Orion's success at the Westchester ACT-SO competition demonstrates his exceptional talent and dedication to scientific research,” said Angelo Piccirillo, Ossining Science Teacher and Co-Director of the Science Research Program. “His project is both innovative and important, and his findings could have significant implications for the development of more personalized treatments for patients with ovarian cancer.”

Valeri Holmes, Ossining Science Teacher and Co-Director of the Science Research Program, added, "Orion is an outstanding student who has shown remarkable promise since his first day in the Science Research Program. Winning the gold medal at the Westchester ACT-SO competition is a well-deserved recognition of his hard work and perseverance. We are incredibly proud of Orion and excited to see what he will achieve at the ACT-SO Nationals."

The National ACT-SO Competition and Awards Ceremony will take place July 27-30, 2023 in Boston, MA.