The Let’s Make It Count initiative is excited to welcome our first Junior Ambassador for the National Census Data Competition: Lilah from Colorado!
Our Junior Ambassador program—open to any student who submits an entry to our national competition—consists of an additional commitment to spread the word of this opportunity to other students. As a Junior Ambassador, Lilah will be able to connect with a wide range of data science experts and thus will be well-positioned to help usher in the next generation of STEM enthusiasts. Join us as we get to know Lilah a bit more—and be sure to follow her journey as she Asks Questions, Explores Data, and Shares Insights.
Q: We’re thrilled to have your participation, Lilah. Could you share a bit more about your interest in data science?
A: Data science is a field that is very new to me. It is a field that I look forward to exploring and I love the idea of solving problems by finding patterns and informed decision making. I see this competition as an incredible opportunity to get involved and learn more about this field!
Q: What drew you to the National Census Data Competition?
A: I had the opportunity to work on a congressional campaign in recent months and to see firsthand how valuable data are. The data we used during the campaign gave us the opportunity to better understand constituents and anticipate outcomes. As an intern for the campaign, I witnessed how data and statistics play an essential role in predicting an election outcome. The information we gathered during the campaign played an essential role to help us understand which districts we needed to focus our campaign efforts on. I am interested in government, and I also have a strong passion for science research. In both of these areas, data science can be used to better understand and improve upon outcomes.
Q: You mentioned that you are interested in scientific research. On what areas are you currently focusing?
A: I have a keen interest in assessing possible health risks of consumer technology that we use daily (in particular, cell phone radiation) and understanding the obesity epidemic. Data and data science obviously drive any great research and insights in both of these areas.
Q: For the National Census Data Competition, what topics are you exploring? What has been most meaningful so far?
A: Some ideas that I am exploring for my submission include creating an infographic using the data and resources provided in “Trends in Congressional Appointment” alongside “Commuting to Work: Box Plots, Central Tendency, Outliers,” to see if a correlation exists between population growth/decline and physical lifestyle in a town. Another idea I am considering is to create a data visualization to analyze “The Highway System - Its Development and Impact on the United States” with “America Then and Now - Interpreting Changes in Demographic Data” in order to understand if there is a connection between the movement of people and where they settle, based on demographics. For me, so much of my life is about creativity. This competition provides an outlet for me to be creative through science while learning how to make inferences from data.
Q: What advice would you give to someone thinking about joining the competition before the January 31, 2021, deadline?
A: I was slightly unsure joining at first because I had never taken a statistics course nor did I have much experience in data science directly. All of the tools and resources available on letsmakeitcount.org such as the Data Stories, made it easy for me to immerse myself as a newcomer. I ultimately decided to join because of how unique this opportunity is. I am really enjoying preparing my project for the competition. There are so many different approaches you can take when designing your submission.
Q: This is all so wonderful to hear! Beyond the high schoolers and teachers whom you are recruiting, are there any broader reflections you’d like to share?
A: The Let’s Make it Count initiative is the perfect competition for anyone like me who loves a challenge and enjoys exploring new areas. Data science is a growing frontier and affects all of us. It is awesome to have an opportunity to dive into this field and gain experience as a high school student. The work we can do for the competition can impact the world in a big way and reveal new insights that are representative of all of our backgrounds.
Thanks so much, Lilah, and shout out to the Girls Programming League for connecting us with Lilah and students from 84 schools in more than 20 states this autumn!
Stay tuned to LetsMakeItCount.org and #LetsMakeItCount #BDHubs, as Lilah will be interviewing some of our Let’s Make It Count Virtual Summit speakers and collaborators in these last few weeks of the National Census Data Competition.
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