First Robert Guthrie Awards Honor Seven Outstanding Young People

After his death in June 1995, we mourned the loss of Dr. Robert Guthrie, developer of the newborn screening test for PKU. In memory of his incomparable "gift" to the PKU community, National PKU News started The Robert Guthrie PKU Scholarship Fund. Because Dr. Guthrie’s test has benefited people from all over the world, the scholarship and awards are open to any on-diet young person entering or continuing higher education programs, from any country. These young people are the direct beneficiaries of Dr. Guthrie’s test. We all know that without newborn screening and early diet treatment, they would not be dreaming of college and a bright future. Today, we are joyful that young people with PKU are not only doing well, but many are excelling in diverse areas. Among the latter are this years’ Guthrie Award winners.

Members of the scholarship committee include Mrs. Margaret Guthrie (Dr. Guthrie’s wife of 54 years); Barbara Guthrie (one of their six children); Dr. Harvey Levy, MD; Dr. Richard Kronmal, Ph.D.; Cristine Trahms, MS, RD; and Virginia Schuett, MS, RD. We received applications from twenty-five young people from all over the US, from Canada, New Zealand, The Netherlands, and Ireland. Although we would have liked to support all of them on their path to a college education or graduate degree, we had to make choices.

With great pleasure we announce the winner of the first Guthrie PKU Scholarship, and the winners of six Robert Guthrie Merit Awards. We could not be more proud of their character and accomplishments! If anyone ever doubted the success of the PKU diet, they have only to read about these wonderful, gifted young people. They are truly "shining stars," showing us there are no limits to what early- and well-treated young people with PKU can accomplish in their lives.

John Kaline Engstrom, of Carlsbad, California, is the recipient of the first Robert Guthrie PKU Scholarship—$5,000 for the college of his choice. John is the son of John C. and Sherry Engstrom.

Of 464 students in his senior class, John has been "number one" in his academic standing since his freshman year. He will be the senior class valedictorian. His overall grade-point average is 3.97 out of 4.00 (considering his all-Honors courses, he has a "weighted average" of 4.84). His courses have included advanced mathematics, chemistry and physics. His mathematics and physics teacher names John as one of the brightest students he has ever had in his class during 33 years of teaching the school’s top students.

John is equally talented with languages, English, journalism and biology. He is the kind of student who is "always cheerful and ready for work. He comes to class prepared and jumps into the day’s lesson, pulling others after him," says one of his Honors class teachers. He has also taken college courses every summer at Palomar College and the University of California at San Diego. His college entrance test scores place him in the top 5% of all high school seniors.

Studying hard has not kept John from participating in a large number of activities. He founded the Asian-American Cultural Club and has been both President and Vice President. He has held four positions on the school newspaper staff, including Sports Editor his junior year, and Editor-in-Chief his senior year. He also participated in the Academic League, California Scholarship Federation, San Diego Chinese Academy, and wrestling team all four years. He tutors lower level math students. He also studied violin for seven years.

John has received numerous awards and honors along the way. These include: the 1997 National Scholastic Press Association All-American Award for school newspaper, the 1997 Quill and Scroll Press Association International First Place for newspaper, the Stanford Book Award, the Phi Beta Kappa Book Award, the Presidential Honor Roll, Who’s Who Among American High School Students, Most Valuable Player in Academic League, Most Improved Wrestler, Second Place for Chinese Word Recognition and First Place for Chinese Poem Recital Contest (both at San Diego Chinese Academy). If this was not enough, John has started his own computer consulting business.

And he does not forget PKU. He volunteers at the San Diego Metabolic Clinic, speaking to parents of newly diagnosed children "in order to assure them that PKU is not something terrible and that their children can lead a normal life." He also often speaks to parents of younger children with PKU, to reassure them that their children can excel academically and become involved in extracurricular activities such as sports, musical instruments, clubs and hobbies. Could John’s life be any greater testimonial?

Through all of this, in the words of one of his teachers, John is a "grade-A genuine nice guy with a great sense of humor and the gentle poise of a person much older, unassuming and with an excellent, positive outlook on life."

University of California—San Diego is John’s first choice for college, where he is thinking about a pre-Medical major on his way to becoming a physician. We have great faith in John’s ability to succeed— in whatever he chooses. Congratulations, John! You bring honor to Dr. Guthrie’s memory and to the whole PKU community.

Because we had so many outstanding applicants for the scholarship, but only had enough money for one major award, we decided to give "merit awards" to six other young people. These smaller monetary awards recognize outstanding character and achievement, and service to PKU.

(For more about John, please see his own story.)

Please see their profiles below.

Jason writes "I perceive education to be a lifelong process, and I plan to keep studying and expanding my understanding of the world for the rest of my life. Immediately, however, I plan to go to a four-year university (Boston College is my first choice) and attend graduate school afterwards. I haven’t decided on a major yet; so many things interest me. But I am considering pre-Law and Business majors."

Jason’s high school advisor and coach of four years confirms Jason’s love for learning: "He approaches his academic subjects with the idea they can enrich him as a person, not just to obtain the proper credentials. I find this refreshingly different from the attitude of many bright young people today." He calls Jason "an outgoing, personable young man who is an adroit conversationalist and gets along well with peers and faculty alike. He has a ready wit, a friendly smile and a bit of old-fashioned charm that makes him a favorite with everyone he encounters." Another teacher writes, "He is well above average in maturity and has a realistic sense of his goals and purpose in life." Another teacher comments that Jason is simply one of the finest students he has encountered in three decades of teaching. He says of Jason, "He is an exceptionally clear thinker who looks deeply into issues and is highly original in his analysis. He is without a doubt one of the best informed students I have. He has taken virtually every top academic and Honors course we offer and consistently performed at the highest level." Jason not only maintained a 3.76 grade point average but scored in the top 5% of his peers on college entrance exams.

In addition to his academic pursuits, Jason has a long list of extracurricular activities. He served as "lead counselor" in his school’s acclaimed Mock Trial Team, and was a member of the Legal Affairs Club and International Club. He was active in Boy Scouts, earning a rank of Life Scout, and is involved in the Woodbridge Conservation Trust that strives to save local woodlands from development. During his high school career he was on the freshman football and track teams, and later became active in boxing. He has consistently been on the Honors or High Honors Roll. He was a recipient of the Academic Achievement Award, starting with his sophomore year (this award is presented to students who maintain an A average in a particular course throughout the year). He earned the Bayer Pharmaceutical Award each year, starting his sophomore year; he was "certified" in all four areas (math, science, English and interdisciplinary) by passing all sections of a demanding test given to all CT high school students. In his senior year, he was one of four students selected to represent his school at the American Legion Boys State Conference as a "state senator." Jason also is employed part-time in a law office.

About PKU, Jason writes "My experiences with PKU generally have been positive. It was more difficult when I was in elementary school and I had to explain why I was on a special diet. But all of my friends accepted my diet and I never really had a problem dealing with other people regarding it. In high school, eating a special diet is not even considered out of the ordinary. I have several friends who are vegetarians by choice, and other friends who have their own diets, for whatever reason. When I explain my diet to others, I sometimes compare myself to a diabetic. Instead of sugar, I am careful about how much protein I eat and instead of insulin, I take Phenyl-Free. This analogy usually makes it easier for people to understand. I believe that PKU has had effects on my life. I see myself as healthier than some of my friends who eat nothing but hamburgers from McDonald’s. I also think PKU has helped build my character. PKU forced me to talk about myself to friends, classmates, and adults. I feel this has helped me mature and is a major part of who I am today. When I see something about PKU in a book or magazine, I see it called a ‘disease.’ I do not see it as such. I see it as one characteristic of myself, just as my height, weight, sex and hair color. I do not consider PKU to be an advantage or disadvantage, only one more component that contributes to who I am. It is such a part of me I do not think I would get rid of PKU even if I could."

Daniel writes, "My plans for the future begin with at least four years, and more likely eight years of college. I plan to study physics and computer science, and want to get an advanced degree in either one or both fields. The areas of physics that are the most interesting to me are fusion and nuclear physics. Computer science is also very interesting because I like creating programs to solve problems and to make things I can use in my other classes. I am applying for this scholarship because I am proud to represent the potential of people with PKU. I have three younger brothers ages 15, 11 and 10 who are also straight A students and are planning to get advanced degrees. My family and I will be investing a lot of money for our college education for many years to come." Daniel has already received his college acceptance to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The director of the high school band, where Daniel plays the trumpet, writes: "Daniel is one of our finest students, recognized as such by his peers and teachers. He is very intelligent, quickly catching on to music concepts and applying them to other areas. He is very disciplined academically and demonstrates a great appreciation for learning. He reads constantly and is always using his time effectively. His personal character is outstanding. He is responsible, polite, and humble. His responsibility shows in his dependability and quality of performance. He is among our hardest workers and is highly respected by his peers for his integrity."

His Latin teacher writes: "Daniel’s skill in translating Latin goes beyond the mechanical. He understands not only syntax, but semantics as well. He has an eye for detail, which most students do not. He is also a creative person. He enjoys writing and has received awards for his writing in English. When given the opportunity to write in Latin, he displays the same enthusiasm and creativity by embracing a task which most students resist."

Daniel maintained a 3.9 grade point average ("weighted average" of 4.6, considering advanced and Honors courses); he scored within the top 5% of his peers on college entrance exams.

Daniel participates in many activities both in and out of school. Besides being a member of Marching Band, he was a member of the Math Club, the Athens Drive High School Math Team (all four years), the Jazz Band, the Pep Band, the Latin Club, the Computer Science Club, and the Service Club. The Marching Band is a summer and fall activity requiring between 5-10 hours a week. The Math Team goes to a yearly state math competition and Daniel has represented his school. He was nominated for the North Carolina Governor’s School in music and was among the eleven best writers in eleventh grade in his county. He also is involved in community volunteer activities. He tutors second graders in reading and math, and was one of many people who helped to clean up the debris left by Hurricane Fran.

Daniel writes of his PKU: "I have been on the PKU diet all my life and have never known anything different. I see PKU as a part of my life, but it really does not affect my attitudes or my actions any further. When I have explained PKU to my friends at band camp, for instance, the attitudes have been nonchalant. I view it as a vegetarian diet but a bit more restricted. I know that the diet assures that I will live a life with less risk of certain illnesses or conditions that could arise because of the food I eat. If I have to have a medical condition, I would rather have PKU than any other."

Blythe writes: "I plan to graduate from Bryn Mawr College, where I am a sophomore, in the year 2000. I will have earned an undergraduate degree in English and a double minor in French and Greek. I will eventually attend Graduate School, probably pursuing my studies to the level of a Ph.D. I have not yet decided what field I intend to pursue in Graduate School; English, Comparative Literature and Classics all sound exciting, as do art and creative writing. After I finish my formal studies, I hope to remain involved with literature and writing, maybe as a journalist, a screenplay writer or a writer for a radio show."

Blythe graduated from high school with Distinguished Honors, and received the Mary P. Hynson Memorial Award for Excellence in High School English Composition. She was a member of the National Honor Society, National French Honor Society, and a recipient of the President’s Education Award. Bryn Mawr College, a prestigious private school in Pennsylvania, also awarded her a substantial scholarship. Additionally, she received a smaller scholarship from Children’s PKU Network.

One of Blythe’s college professors writes: "Blythe was the star of a class of 24. She wrote remarkably sensitive and complex essays in French, noteworthy not only because of the difficult of the texts which she was studying, but also because of the difficulty of writing about them after only one and a half semesters of college French. One of her papers was as good as the very best essays I see at the next higher level. In addition, she was always prepared, enthusiastic about participating in discussion without dominating it, a wonderful team player in spite of her intellectual excellence, and unfailingly cheerful whatever the assignment; in short, the ideal student. She is so excited about language and literature that she is intending to add French to her English or Comparative Literature major. She will be one of our best students in a department which attracts excellence because of our national reputation."

Another teacher writes: "Blythe moved quickly from a ‘clueless’ condition to producing interesting, fluent essays and contributing important, useful literary insights to class discussions. She catches on rapidly and is imbued with a genuine love of learning. She is an upbeat, gifted young woman whose education should receive support."

Another one of her teachers writes: "It would be hard to find a student more capable in every way. Her creativity and intelligence are so outstanding and yet she is also mature, conscientious and empathetic toward others. Her knowledge of current events, social issues, and her high vocabulary allows her to communicate on an advanced level. She doesn’t just rely on her many talents, but works very hard to achieve her goals."

Amidst her studies, Blythe also finds time for a part-time job, working at the circulation desk of Bryn Mawr College’s main library. Among other roles, she acts as a reference librarian and computer consultant in showing others how to use the computer resources available. She lives in the French tower of the language dormitory, taking part in many of the available activities while speaking French. She also continues practicing the piano.

Of PKU, Blythe writes beautifully: "The diet has always been a part of my life; I can’t imagine not being on it. Never having directly experienced life without PKU, I feel that I can never know the whole influence it has on my life. However, I think the discipline involved in making my formula daily and in watching my food intake has maybe crept into other parts of my life, like my studies. Yet, while my diet was disciplined, I never found it oppressive, primarily because of my parents’ matter-of-fact acceptance of it.

My parents also value the world that opens when a book opens, and they champion the pursuit of knowledge. When I got older and better understood PKU, had I been tempted to go off the diet, my main reason for resisting would be fear of dulling my intelligence. Having PKU also has perhaps made me more sensitive towards those trying to accept life’s wild cards (genetic or otherwise). An important realization I came to when I was very young is that there are few people in the world with perfect physical or mental health.

In ancient Greek, there is a word that means ‘I experience’ and also ‘I suffer.’ I feel these are two entirely different words, and I can honestly say I experience, and do not suffer PKU. I believe that on some level, it is up to the individual to form his or her own experience. I do this in controlling my PKU and not letting it control me.

I also painfully realize that if I were not on the diet I would not know ancient Greek words; I would not know English ones, nor be able to even dress myself. This is a humbling part of PKU, which demands a certain maturity of those with the disorder. Being born with a metabolic disorder was something beyond my control. But I am thankful that my PKU is treated and maintaining the diet is under my control. My intellect and college opportunities are so important to me because of how close I came to having neither. A lot of growing as a person is accepting your various strengths and weaknesses. I think having a disorder like PKU forces one to try to make these acceptances a little sooner. With PKU, it becomes easier to begin to be grateful for what you have. Although I was born with PKU by chance, I control it very deliberately. And when I beweep my outcast state, as we all invariably do, I try and stop for a moment to remember to feel proper gratitude that I am even able to beweep."

We featured Chris recently in the Hang in There section of the newsletter (W97) so his profile is abbreviated here. One of three boys with PKU in his family, Chris is a junior at Purdue University in Indiana, majoring in Aviation Administration. He went off the diet at age 14. As a college freshman, he decided on his own to resume diet in order to avoid further risk to his health and intellect. He has remained upbeat and determined—despite a $40,000 Air Force scholarship being revoked ("because of the demands of his PKU diet in the military"). He dreams of becoming Director of Operations at an international airport in a major US city. He has completed over a year of flight training for his private pilot’s license.

Besides maintaining excellent grades in college, Chris is involved in many extracurricular activities: a member of a fraternity, Aviation Technology Flying Club, and the student chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives. He is also a volunteer fire fighter when at home. In high school, he was in the French, Latin and National Honor Societies. He was a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete and his name was entered into the National Collegiate Athletic Association Hall of Fame. He graduated from high school with High Honors. "He is one of the most remarkably fine young persons of my acquaintance, bright, personable and responsive. He is resourceful and indefatigable in whatever chore you put before him, honest and aboveboard in his personal dealings," says a former employer.

Chris writes about PKU, "It is very difficult to stick to a strict diet after being off of it for so long. But it is getting easier. When my friends find out what PKU is, they think it is pretty amazing I am a vegetarian and can resist most of the college junk food. Fortunately, vegetarianism is much more commonplace in society these days and PKU is not such a mystery as it was when my brothers (ages 28 and 30) and I were born. Hopefully, we can come up with a solution in the near future so no one will have to deal with PKU."

Sanna also was featured in the Hang in There section of the newsletter (Fall 1992) and more recently, in the Winter 1998 issue. She was born in 1967, before newborn screening in her country. Fortunately, she was diagnosed with PKU when she was just two months old, due to her older brother’s late-diagnosed PKU. Sanna would like to go back to school, after a long hiatus, to study psychology. She would like to use a psychology degree to work with adolescents and young adults on the PKU diet. Sanna writes: "I know from my own experience there is more psychological help needed for people on the diet. Because I went through difficult times and survived well, I think I can understand what others are going through. More care is necessary for those who are not able to deal with PKU so easily. I want to help people with PKU learn to have a positive attitude and develop skills to handle the diet."

Sanna would like to work on an international base. She speaks Dutch, English, German and Spanish—and says she is willing to learn more languages in order to realize her dream of organizing a European PKU clinic and informational training center, staffed by adults with PKU. Sanna’s work over the past years within the European PKU community demonstrates her tireless commitment to improving communication among people with PKU.

Money in the Robert Guthrie PKU Scholarship Fund comes solely from donations. We desperately need your help in order to support deserving young people with PKU. What a worthy cause it is! Please consider a generous donation this year. It is the only way we can keep the fund alive.

Send check made out to The Robert Guthrie PKU Scholarship Fund to:

See application information.