Hormel Institute scientists Selena Hataye and Hana Yang judged doors at Ellis Middle School based on accuracy, content and creativity. Photo by Jordan Gerard/ jordan.gerard@austindailyherald.com

The classroom doors of Ellis Middle School were adorned with statistics, information and graphics about different types of cancer.

For the second year in a row, students had about seven school days to research and compile the information onto about 40 doors. And on Friday, the students showed off their work to judges from The Hormel Institute.

Ellis teacher and Student Council director Eric Vaughn said the kids learned a lot and they delved deeper into the cancer, so now it’s not just a scary word on TV.

“It was a research project on cancer and we made it fun for them,” Vaughn said. “In the end, you want people to understand how different cancers affect people, what causes the cancer and how to prevent or detect that cancer.”

A door at Ellis Middle School displays information about head and neck cancer. Photos by Jordan Gerard./jordan.gerard@austindailyherald.com

Vaugh said it’s great how the Institute works with the schools and they are thankful for that.

The top prize for the contest is a pizza party with the Austin Bruins.

Student Council President Katie Lillemon and Secretary Rachel Christenson led two Hormel Institute scientists around the school to judge the doors.

“We focused on all cancers,” Lillemon said. “It goes along with the festivities in town.”

They also sold pledges for $1. Vaughn said the total for the pledges might be around $1,000.

Selena Hataye and Hana Yang judged the doors on a scale from one to five and based on accuracy, content and creativity.

Hataye and Yang work in the lab of Dr. James Robinson, whose focus is cell signaling and tumorigenesis.

In addition to decorating doors, Dr. Sergio Gradilone, head of the Cancer Cell Biology and Translational Research lab, spoke during assemblies. He taught seventh and eighth graders about The Institute, the research conducted by his lab and to inspire their interest in science and health related education and careers, the Institute said in a press release.