Diego Vazquez and Alicia Gorena are passionate about research.
Through McAllen ISD’s AP Capstone Program, they have taken a course specifically on research and delved into subjects they wanted to learn more about and share.
Vazquez is into medicine. He studied the impact of ADHD medications on older adult males. Gorena studied the impact of Tex-Mex foods on teenage girls. Their material is so polished that they were able to submit their work to professional journals for publication – a first in McAllen ISD’s AP Capstone Program.
AP Capstone is a two-year high school program which emphasizes developing a student’s research skills, presentation skills, speaking skills and critical thinking skills. The first year students take AP Seminar and second-year students take AP Research. Students can earn college credit and an AP Capstone diploma.
Vazquez and Gorena graduated this spring from McAllen Memorial High.
Vazquez studied how ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) medicines affect the middle-aged demographic among males. He contacted the Food & Drug Administration for information he could study.
He looked at potential harmful effects including instances of stroke, long-term disability, the need for physical therapy and hospitalization.
“All that data contributes to my research,” Vazquez said. “Should we put limits on these medications? Should we consider alternatives? The goal is to prevent any future casualty or future problems in that demographic.”
His research, called Impact of ADHD Medication on Adults Aged 45-55: Research Insights, has been submitted to the Youth Medical Journal database for possible publication.
“I have an absolute passion for medicine,” he said. “I want to help others.”
Gorena’s topic, Mind Over Menu: How Tex-Mex Stereotypes Affect Hispanic Girls’ Mental Health, is designed to let other girls know they are not alone.
“My main goal overall was to bring awareness to the stigma and how harmful it is to these girls,” Gorena said. “I just wanted to bring awareness to the amount of eating disorders that are prevalent down here. I think a lot of people should be able to have resources and know they are not alone in their struggle with this.”
Her research has been submitted to the Journal of Emerging Investigators database. Both the Youth Medical Journal and the Journal of Emerging Investigators offer students the opportunity to publish their research with professional standards. The process from submission to publication can take several months.
“I want to major in geography and environmental studies,” she said. “I want to pursue…protecting our environment.”
She plans to attend Texas State University and study to become an environmental attorney. Vazquez will study medicine at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.