KAPA’A — Kara Dastrup, an eighth-grader at Kapa’a Middle School, was a dual, first-place winner on O’ahu. Dastrup led a group of 15 eighth-graders from Kapa’a Middle School who ribboned at the 2006 Hawaii Technology Fair that was held on
KAPA’A — Kara Dastrup, an eighth-grader at Kapa’a Middle School, was a dual, first-place winner on O’ahu.
Dastrup led a group of 15 eighth-graders from Kapa’a Middle School who ribboned at the 2006 Hawaii Technology Fair that was held on O’ahu earlier this month.
Ryne Terao, the technology and materials instructor at the school, was pleased with the large number of students who ended up earning ribbons at the annual event.
“They’re a good bunch of students,” Terao said. “They’re strong, conscientious, and very competitive.”
Seven of the students won ribbons in the woodworking division, with another eight taking ribbons in the mechanical drawing competition.
Dastrup was the only student to earn ribbons in both divisions.
Following her, Vanessa Martinez earned a second-place award in the woodworking division with Windy Check, Micah Ray, Mercedes Rodriguez, Maiah Velarde, and Jessica Lactaotao all taking honorable mention.
Kaimalie Kirzer followed Dastrup in the mechanical-drawing with a second-place finish, and Timothy Johnson earning a third place ribbon. Kaisen Carrillo, Hana Imai, Julie Planas, Dalton Thronas and Shanarae Donovan all were awarded honorable mention ribbons for their pieces.
Dastrup said that, during the school fair that was held following the end of the first semester, her mechanical-drawing piece ended up in second place below Kirzer’s piece, but at the state competition, the finish was reversed.
She felt that little details she added contributed to the state award.
These included the use of all-capital letters as compared with Kirzer’s piece that had some lower-case letters.
Additionally, Terao added that Dastrup’s cutaway detail was more visible when the drawing was viewed from a distance. These helped the eighth-grader earn her first place ribbon, he said.
In the woodworking division, Dastrup said her piece finished fifth out of 10 pieces in the school fair. Velarde’s project, created out of milo, was the top finisher at the school level.
Additionally, Dastrup said that Martinez, who finished with a red ribbon at the state fair, ended in ninth place at the school event.
“When I viewed the projects at the fair, I only saw Martinez’s red ribbon. I was happy for her. I didn’t even see the blue ribbon that was on my project,” Dastrup said.
Dastrup was one of six officers from the Kapa’a Middle School Chapter of the Skills/USA Organization that accompanied the projects to O’ahu.
Other students who made the trip included Thronas, Martinez, Imai, Johnson and James Padre.
Terao said that it was the students’ ability to re-sand and prepare their projects between the school fair and the state fair that contributed to their overall success.
“They came in during the lunch hour to work on their projects,” Terao said. “And, in the end, it made a big difference.”
Terao said the 2006 Hawaii Technology Fair is held in conjunction with the state science fair, and features work from all the middle schools in Hawai’i.
“They were super good,” Terao said of his students’ work.
People will have an opportunity to view the projects up close when Kapa’a Middle School hosts their annual open house later this year.
