Kauai High School student Isabella Parsons and her study of the invasive Red Mangrove is going to Phoenix this spring.
Parsons earned the trip to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Arizona by finishing tops in the Senior Division Saturday during the Kauai Regional Science and Engineering Fair presented by the Hawaii Academy of Science, the Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club, and other sponsors.
The top five finishers in the Junior Division that included 20 projects from Hanalei Elementary School, Kapaa Middle School, Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School, and the Waimea Canyon Middle School earned trips to the Oahu Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair.
Kaylee Kakuda and Kale Kakuda, students at Waimea Canyon Middle School, topped the judging in the Junior Division with their project dealing with removing moisture from wood. In addition to first place honors in the Junior Division, the Kakudas earned a Material Sciences award .
The top seven finishers in the Senior Division that included 30 projects from Kauai High School and Waimea High School, were promoted to the Oahu fair that will take place April 8-10.
Parsons, getting challenged by Waimea High School student Sam Bostick and “The Effect of Ocean Topography on Wave Energy” in second place, finished tops in the Senior Division judging done by a panel of numerous judges from community organizations and businesses.
Parsons went on to collect awards in Plant Sciences, Senior Division, and was a co-winner with Bostick in the Surfrider Foundation awards.
“Surfrider is all about conservation, activism, research, and education,” said Dr. Carl Berg with Surfrider. “Science fairs fit perfectly with that. This year, there were two equally qualified projects in the Senior Division so we gave two awards — one to Isabella Parsons and the other to Samantha Bostick.”
Surfrider also provided a special award to Junior Division candidates Selah Snowden and Miley Cox of Waimea Canyon Middle School for their “Native Plants vs. Water Pollution” that demonstrated the effects of polluted water on the growth of native plants.
Fifth grade students from the Kilauea Elementary School and the Elsie Wilcox Elementary School Science Technology Engineering and Math programs brought life to the event during the Fifth Grade STEM Showcase that served to motivate students to continue their pursuit of study in STEM.
These activities, many hands-on and interactive, included science project presentations to projects that earned honors at the Science Olympiad from, 2018 as well as prototype projects for the Elementary Science Olympiad for Grades 3 to 6 that will be held April 27 at the Kauai Community College.
Results
w Junior Division: 1. Kyle Kakuda, Kaylee Kakuda (WaiCMS) “Removing Moisture From Wood,” 2. Maeani Arbilera, Ashley Pabustan, Alexis Saniatan (WaiCMS) “Filtered Water vs. Salted Water,” 3. Katie Lambden (Homeschool Now) “The Science of Soccer,” 4. Priscilla Matthews (CKMS) “Celestial Observations: Using the Ancient Polynesian Navigation Method,” 5. Grant Matsuda, Napela Mokuahi, Alakai Sakai-Giddens (KapMS) “Natural Bug Pesticide.”
w Specialty Awards: Behavioral Science – Samson DeBonet, Cruz Jacobson (HanEl) “Teen Temptation,” Biological Science – Brille Lo (WaiCMS) “Is Aloe Juice an Effective Preservative for Berries?”, Animal Science – Grant Matsuda, Napela Mokuahi, Alakai Sakai-Giddens (KapMS) “Natural Bug Pesticide,” Plant Science – Selah Snowden, Miley Cox (WaiCMS) “Native Plants vs Water Pollution,” Material Science – Kale Kakuda, Kaylee Kakuda (WaiCMS) “Removing Moisture from Wood,” Theoretical Science – Priscilla Matthews (CKMS) “Celestial Observations: Using the Ancient Polynesian Navigation Method,” Energy – Shayna Owings, Malina Kaden (HanEl) “Citrus Batteries,” Environmental – Ella Anderson, Amber Cotter, Emily Hartsorn (KapMS) “There Aren’t Any Pothholes to This Story.”
w Senior Division: 1. Isabella Parsons (KauHS) “Investigating the Effects of the Removal of Red Mangrove Trees on the Ecosystem of Kauai,” 2. Samantha Bostick (WaiHS) “The Effect of Ocean Topography on Wave Energy,” 3. Kaya Labanoon (WaiHS) “Black Soldier Fly Composting Project,” 4. Brent Torres, Gen Hew (KauHS) “An Analysis of the Pressure exerted onto a Solar Sail through a Variability of Solar Sail Membrane Properties,” 5. Nicole Matsushige, Alaysia Navor, Allison Joy Cadiz (KauHS) “The Effect of Different Nitrogen Sources and Light Intensities on Phycocyanin Production in Synechococcus,” 6. Alana Takata (KauHS) “Determining the Antioxident Potential of Locally Sourced vs Imported Lemons Using DPPH Scavenging Assay,” 7. Carlton Hung (WaiHS) “Random Picker.”
w Specialty Awards: Behavioral Science – Shanel Angelica Erorita (KauHS) “Don’t Tempo with my Heart,” Biological Science – Alana Takata (KauHS) “Determining the Antioxident Potential of Locally Sourced vs. Imported Lemons Using DPPH Scavenging Assay,” Animal Sciences – Kaya Labanon (WaiHS) “Black Soldier Fly Composting Project,” Plant Sciences – Isabella Parsons (KauHS) “Investigating the Effects of the Removal of Red Mangrove Trees on the Ecosystem of Kauai,” Material Sciences – Jack Davis (KauHS) “Electrolyte Challenge: Sports Drink vs. Coconut Water,” Theoretical Sciences – Carlton Hung (WaiHS) “Random Picker,” Energy – Kallen Wachi (WaiHS) “Hydrogen Powered Flight,” Environmental – Samantha Bostick (WaiHS) “The Effect of Ocean Topography on Wave Energy,” Advanced Technologies – Brent Torres, Gen Hew (KauHS) “An Analysis of the Pressure exerted onto a Solar Sail through a Variability of Solar Sail Membrane Properties.”
w Sponsor Specialty Awards: Surfrider Junior division – Selah Snowden, Miley Cox (WaiCMS) “Native Plants vs. Water Pollution; Senior division – Isabella Parsons (KauHS) “Investigating the Effects of the Removal of Red Mangrove Trees on the Ecosystem of Kauai,” Samantha Bostick (WaiHS) “The Effect of Ocean Topography on Wave Energy.”
w APA (BEHA): Shanel Angelica Erorita (KauHS) “Don’t Tempo with my Heart.”
w Association for Women Geoscientists: Samantha Bostick (WaiHS) “The Effect of Ocean Topography on Wave Energy.”
w Intel Computer Science: Carlton Hung (WaiHS) “Random Picker”
w NTBG Young Ecologist Award: “Aidan Gregerson (KauHS) “An analysis of the effects that invasive plant species can have on soil nutrients.”
w NTBG Plant Conservation Award: Isabella Parsons (KauHS) “Investigating the Effects of the Removal of Red Mangrove Trees on the Ecosystem of Kauai.”
w NOAA: Isabella Parsons (KauHS) “Investigating the Effects of the Removal of Red Mangrove Trees on the Ecosystem of Kauai.”
w RICOH: Samantha Bostick (WaiHS) “The Effect of Ocean Topography on Wave Energy.”
w SIVB (11th grade in Vitro Biology of Plant or Animal): Cassandra Hays, Malia Spittstoesser (KauHS) “Transformation of Plant Decomposing PETase Gene into e. Coli”
w Yale Science and Engineering (11th grade): Brent Torres, Gen Hew (KauHS) “An Analysis of the Pressure exerted onto a Solar Sail through a Variability of Solar Sail Membrane Properties.”
w Pacific Missile Range Facility, Junior Division: Brielle Lo (WaiCMS) “Is Aloe Juice an Effecttive Preservative for Berries?”
w Pacific Missile Range Facility, Senior Division: “Samantha Bostick (WaiHS) “The Effect of Ocean Topography on Wave Energy.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
