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(photo by Jacqueline Ramseyer/SVCN/January 27, 2014) The three Intel finalists from the Fremont Union High School District are, from left, Monta Vista senior Vishnu Shankar, Lynbrook senior Angela Kong, and Monta Vista senior Natalie Ng.

Three seniors from the Fremont Union High School District are headed to Washington, D.C. to showcase their scientific discoveries and possibly walk away with some serious cash.

Natalie Ng and Vishnu Shankar from Monta Vista High School and Angela Kong from Lynbrook High School are finalists in the Intel Science Talent Search. The annual pre-college science competition seeks to honor and find the most promising high school seniors in the realms of math and science.

The finalists are among a group of 40 seniors who will convene in the nation's capitol March 6-12 to compete for $630,000 in prizes, including a grand prize of $100,000.

Natalie's project is titled "Advancing Precision Medicine: MicroRNA Prognostic Signatures and Prediction Models for Distant Metastasis Free Survival in Breast Cancer." Vishnu's project is called "3D Structure of Human DP Prostaglandin G-protein Coupled Receptor Bound to Selective Antagonists from GEnSeMBLE Predictions," and Angela's project is "Transcription Factor Bcl11b Regulates Mammary Stem Cell Self-Renewal and Quiescence Partially Through Cell Cycle Progression Inhibitor CDKN1a/p21."

The Intel Science Talent Search encourages students to tackle scientific questions and develop skills to help solve some of the world's greatest challenges, according to contest officials. Students will undergo a rigorous judging process, interact with renowned scientists, display their research for the public at the National Geographic Society and meet with national leaders.

Numerous finalists have gone on to do big things after high school. Between them, talent search alumni have won eight Nobel Prizes, two Fields Medals, five National Medals of Science, 11 MacArthur Foundation Fellowships and even an Academy Award for best actress, according to Intel.

Entrants are judged on the originality and creativity of their scientific research projects as well as their achievements and leadership both inside and outside the classroom.

The competition is put on in tandem with the Society for Science and the Public, a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education. It has owned and administered the Science Talent Search since its inception in 1942.

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Monta Vista, Lynbrook seniors among finalists in Intel Science Talent Search