Five University of Nebraska Medical Center students who run a health care clinic that serves immigrants and low-income individuals won the $7,500 interdisciplinary first prize in the 19^th Annual Secretary's Award for Innovations in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced today in a ceremony at the Rockville, Md., headquarters of the Health Resources and Services Administration, an HHS agency.

The $3,500 single-discipline first prize went to Robert S. Trim, a student at the University of Wisconsin School of Nursing, for launching the "Kelly Nachreiner Donor Education Project" to increase the number of organs available for donation.   The project is named for a Wisconsin teen whose family honored her organ donation request after her death in an accident.

"I commend all of the student award-winners for identifying a significant health care need in their community and taking action to resolve it," said Thompson."The projects honored today are excellent examples of how much can be accomplished at the grass-roots level when students, practitioners and community leaders work together."Prize-winners are judged on innovation, feasibility and potential impact on a community or target population.

The five Nebraska winners -- medical students Colene Anderson, Molly Johnson and Laura vanderWerff, pharmacy student Corrie Cahow, and nursing student Leah Jorgensen - were honored for their "Student Health Alliance Reaching Indigent Needy Groups (SHARING) Clinic" project in South Omaha.More than 200 students, 50 health providers and numerous community leaders have joined the SHARING clinic, now in its fourth year, to provide comprehensive medical care for more than 1,000 residents.

The Wisconsin project educated the public about donation issues by proclaiming "Organ Donor Awareness Week" in two communities, teaching about donation in driver education courses, and developing educational materials for driver education students and instructors.

Other winners include:

$5,000 second-place interdisciplinary award: Howard University College of Medicine students Ernest Brown, Carla Burks and Derek Robinson, and College of Pharmacy, Nursing and Allied Health student Shannon Curvey for their "Creating a Peer-guided AIDS Education Video Program" project.

$2,500 second-place single discipline award: University of Kansas School of Pharmacy student Danielle M. Chauncey for her project "Stop Before You Start: Youth Empowerment Through Education and Involvement to Curb Tobacco Use."

$3,000 third-place interdisciplinary award: Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine student Tiffany Cal and School of Nursing student Tiffany Stewart for "A Rainbow of Health Careers: An Activity Book Designed to Increase the Interest in Health Professions Among African American Children."

$1,500 third-place single discipline award: Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health student Barbara Kelly for her project, "Animal Owner Education for Natural Disasters: Ignorance is Not Bliss!"

HRSA, the lead HHS agency for improving access to health care for individuals and families nationwide, administers the award competition.