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Zinne Njoku is a senior at Hightower High School and is a part of the Medical Science Academy. She actively serves in her school’s Student Council as the Student Body Vice President and the Medical Science Academy as an executive officer. She is also involved in Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Society, and Science National Honor Society. She is a volunteer with the Fort Bend Women’s Center and a school representative for Fort Bend ISD’s Student Leadership Program. She has received recognition as an AP Scholar and as a National African American Recognition Scholar. From her mentorship experience with Dr. Zane, a pediatrician at AccessHealth Clinic, and Dr. Kulkarni, a neonatologist at Texas Children’s Hospital, Zinne has learned the importance of patient care in both a hospital and clinical setting. She is grateful she has the opportunity to have this exposure in healthcare as it has solidified and strengthened her appreciation for the sciences. Zinne plans to extend her educational journey at the University of California, Berkeley with a major in Molecular and Cell Biology or The University of Texas at Austin, majoring in Biochemistry. She hopes to obtain a career in the medical field so she can help improve the lives of thousands of individuals across the world.
Having a kind heart in a cruel world is courage, not weakness.
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Mentors
Dr. Almas Zane
Dr. Madhulika Kulkarni
AccessHealth is a private, not-for-profit community health center established in the community in 1975. AccessHealth became a Federally Qualified Health Center in 2002. We provide quality health care for the entire family. Our dedicated group of healthcare providers work together to ensure that every patient receives high quality, comprehensive and affordable healthcare. AccessHealth does not turn away anyone in need. Our medical clinics serve approximately 20,000 individuals a year and welcome anyone in need of healthcare services.
Texas Children's Hospital, located in Houston, Texas, is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to create a healthier future for children and women throughout our global community by leading in patient care, education and research. We are proud to be consistently ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the nation.
Project Abstract
Breastfeeding has many known health benefits for infants and mothers and is a key strategy to improve public health; however, many women struggle in maintaining exclusive breastfeeding for the recommended number of months. The goal of this research project is to show that educational backgrounds have an effect on a mother’s duration of breastfeeding with her child, and how that is a plausible reason for the United States not reaching the goals set for the Healthy People 2020 initiative. To conduct this research endeavor, a questionnaire, with questions regarding demographics and breastfeeding experience, was given to mothers at a community clinic with infants that were four to thirteen months of age and healthy, full-term babies. The results from the questionnaire were then analyzed to find patterns, and it was revealed there is a direct correlation between a mother’s level of education and her duration of exclusive breastfeeding. The results from this project highlighted the importance of addressing background differences between mothers so that their individual needs can be assessed to further improve their breastfeeding journey.
