LIHU‘E – Kaua‘i High School took top honors in the Senior Research, and Chiefess Kamakahelei School took top honors in the Junior Research as well as Junior Display divisions when winners were announced Thursday afternoon at the Kaua‘i Complex Area
LIHU‘E – Kaua‘i High School took top honors in the Senior Research, and Chiefess Kamakahelei School took top honors in the Junior Research as well as Junior Display divisions when winners were announced Thursday afternoon at the Kaua‘i Complex Area Regional Science Fair held at the Kaua‘i Veterans Center.
Kapa‘a Middle School captured four of the five top awards in the Junior Research division before being edged out of the top slot by Nerissa Hoglen’s “Making Paper: What Makes a Difference?”
But, one of the science teachers at Kapa‘a Middle School was still happy with her students’ achievement, “Four out of five isn’t bad at all,” she said while proudly viewing “Nuttergyused Energy in Nuts to Heat Water,” the fifth place entry by student Shanlee Gusman.
For Hoglen, winning the top slot wasn’t on her mind after taking one of the top slots at the MathCounts competition Saturday as well. Her mind was on the upcoming robotics competition. “I really hope I do well at this one,” she said.
Second place in the Junior Research went to Jaimie Esaki’s “EM: Miracle Elixir or Hogwash,” with Aaron Rozon snaring third place with his study on leptospirosis in Kealia Stream, “Just When You Thought it was Safe to Go Back in the Water.”
“I still need to do a lot of work on this one,” he commented.
Fourth place was “The Right Combination” by Dylan Cockerham.
“Not bad for a surfer boy, and a fisherman,” joked Guy Miller of their winning project, “Got Solar?” in the Junior Display division. Miller teamed with Corey Neri for the honors with Randee Layosa and Janessa Grady copping runner-up honors with “The Secret Behind the Invisible Message.” Keri Souza and Amanda Kamakea, students at Chiefess Kamakahelei School, took third place with “How to Magnetize a Screw-driver.”
Cody Navarro authored one of three Kaua‘i High School projects that topped the Senior Research competition with the remaining two coming from Kapa‘a High School. Navarro’s “Is Wheat a Halophyte?” topped that division followed by Miki Ueoka’s “Is Bigger Better? – Do Bigger Muscles Really Mean More Strength?”
Third place and fourth place honors went to Kapa‘a High School, the team of Stephanie Kawamura and Marissa Agena teaming for the “Antibiotic Challenge,” and the trio of Christine Morales, Angel Hernandez, and Kelli Okamoto teaming for “Mosquito Control: Biodegradable Detergents.”
Christopher Paler of Kaua‘i High School posed an interesting question with his fifth place project “Does Freezing Desalinate Salt Water?”
Barbara Baker, who along with Naomi Masaki coordinated the event, served as the day’s hostess with Kaua‘i Schools Superintendant Daniel Hamada, and sponsor representatives Sheryl Grady of KIUC, and Dewayne Kong of A&B Foundation doing the awards presentations.
