LIHUE — The smile from the passenger inside the Toyota van Satuday said it all. Emma Hiilani Thain rolled up to Kauai Toyota to claim her prize for third place in her age division from the statewide Toyota Dream Car
LIHUE — The smile from the passenger inside the Toyota van Satuday said it all.
Emma Hiilani Thain rolled up to Kauai Toyota to claim her prize for third place in her age division from the statewide Toyota Dream Car art contest which was open to students 15 years old and under.
“Emma won third place from the state level,” said Dan Nanbu, manager of Kauai Toyota, who had Thain’s cache of prizes ready. “Emma’s artwork has been entered into the Toyota Dream Car World Contest for an opportunity to win a trip to Japan for the final award ceremony in August.”
Thain was one of nine local finalists and for her third place award and accepted a check for $100 and other premiums from Toyota. Thain, a home school student from Koloa and participating in the 8 to 11 year old division, said her concept was of a car which would build houses.
“The ‘Construct-O-Mobile is sort of a car that builds houses — with a garden,” Thain said. “That way, the garden can help someone make a business instead of just having a house.”
The home schooler said the project took about a week to complete because she worked on it after her school lessons.
Malia Thain, Emma’s mother, said she found out about the contest when they came in to buy a new car and picked up the information for Emma’s participation.
More than 500 hand-drawn entries from youngsters below 15 years old were received between Nov. 11, 2013 and Jan. 31.
