When Benjamin Moses first joined Port Washington’s math research program as a sophomore, he didn’t know it would lead him to national recognition.
Three years later, the Paul D. Schreiber High School senior is the only student from Port Washington to be named a top 300 scholar in the 2026 Regeneron Science Talent Search — the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science competition.
“I really learned a lot about the competition from my teacher, my research teacher, Mrs. Gallagher,” Moses said. “The whole program really kind of builds up to this competition.”
As part of the district’s three-year research program, students are required to complete an intensive summer internship between junior and senior year, working alongside professional researchers to develop an original project for submission. Moses completed his internship at Northwell Health, where he worked under the mentorship of Dr. Hagen and Dr. Cook.
“They guided me through a lot of this process and showed me what real research kind of looks like,” Moses said. “They helped me through my procedures, my data analysis and writing up the paper.”
Moses’ project, “Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety Among Survivors of Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer,” examines the mental health outcomes of individuals diagnosed with cancer before age 40.
Using data from the National Health Interview Survey, he conducted a nationally representative analysis exploring the link between early cancer diagnoses and long-term mental health challenges.
“There hadn’t been a lot of population-level evidence about the relationship between these early cancers and elevated mental health outcomes,” Moses said. “My project sought to link the two.”
His interest in the topic was deeply personal. Moses has long been passionate about mental health and was drawn to cancer research through exposure to the field at home. His mother works in oncology communications, giving him early insight into cancer advocacy and patient stories.
“When I saw the data set and realized I could combine these two things: mental health and cancer. I was like, ‘Wow,’” he said.
One of the most striking findings of his research was the extent of the disparity.
“The most surprising was really how pronounced the difference is between cancer survivors and the general population,” Moses said, noting that anxiety rates were even higher than rates of depression.
The research process was not without challenges. Early cancer diagnoses make up only about 5% of all cancer cases, raising concerns about sample size and statistical significance.
“At first, not having enough people to conduct a meaningful statistical analysis was a little challenging,” Moses said. With guidance from his mentors and a data analyst, he learned advanced statistical methods and coding techniques to strengthen his findings.
Moses hopes his research will help inform clinicians and policymakers.
“It’s important that clinicians are aware of this disparity,” he said. “Whether that’s a mental health clinician or an oncologist, it’s something to keep in mind when tailoring treatment plans.”
He credits much of his success to Port Washington’s research program and the close-knit cohort of students who progress through it together.
“The program has definitely been the highlight of my high school career,” he said. “There’s only 10 of us, and we’ve grown really close. We all support each other.”
That support was on full display when Moses learned he had been named a Regeneron scholar.
“I was really surprised. I wasn’t expecting it at all,” he said. “I was in English class, logged into my email, and I was just in shock.”
As a top 300 scholar, Moses will receive a $2,000 award, with an additional $2,000 granted to Schreiber High School to support STEM education. Forty finalists will be announced Jan. 21, and they will compete for more than $1.8 million in awards this March in Washington, D.C.
“Being named top 300 is really special,” Moses said. “All the hard work I put into this project, being recognized for it is super meaningful.”
Moses, who has committed to Cornell University, plans to major in human development and hopes to pursue research in clinical psychology or behavioral sciences. He says the experience has changed how he sees learning and himself.
“I think I’ve become a more curious person,” he said. “This whole experience has helped me define what I want to do in life and what I’m passionate about.”
For now, Moses is taking it all in.
“I’m just really grateful for all the support I’ve gotten,” he said. “I’m truly honored by this whole experience.”
