LIHU´E — “What do the tilapia in the ‘Alekoko Fishpond eat?”
That was the question posed by Jeanine Longboy, a student at Kaua‘i High School, who earned the top prize in the senior division at the Kaua‘i Regional Science and Engineering Fair that was held at Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall on Feb. 8
“One of the first things I had to do was learn how to throw a net,” Longboy said. “One of the uncles taught me how to throw a net, but I couldn’t catch anything.”
In addition to earning first place honors, Longboy also received a special award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for her project.
Wendy Schwarze and Dan Matthews coordinated the island’s fair where community school winners competed for the honor of advancing to the state fair. The fair will be held on O‘ahu in April, where student projects will have the opportunity of advancing to the international fair later this year.
Of the 27 junior division, or middle school, and 20 senior division, or high school projects, just 13 will move on to represent Kaua‘i at the Hawai‘i State Science and Engineering Fair, Schwarze said.
Caylee Garma of Kapa‘a Middle School was the second place winner of the senior division, followed by Ashley Chun of Island School in third place. The team of Colten Dela Cruz and Tenton Tominaga, and Andrew Sadamitsu finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Island School student Tanner Miller was not able to make the Oscar-like presentation, but was named the first prize recipient in the junior division for her “What amount of blades is the most efficient to generate energy with wind turbines?”
Lily Santiago of the St. Theresa School was awarded second place in the junior division, where Peyton Serquina earned a special Lemelson Early Inventor Prize for his “Speaker Enclosure Size and Frequency Response” project.
Brooklyn Braun of Island School picked up the junior division third place, followed by Kapa‘a Middle School students Jaxen Dybul and Jedai Hines getting fourth place, and the team of Kiopaa Hermosura and Kelien Nitta earning fifth place.
In keeping with the theme of prize awards, Brooklyn Braun of Island School, James Pereira of St. Theresa School, Alina Lin of Kaua‘i High School and Kapa‘a Middle School students Malana Baldwin and Talia Greenleaf were recipients of $50 gift cards from a random drawing of students who attended research training ahead of the science fairs.
Kaua‘i Regional Science &Engineering Fair Awards
Regional Awards
Junior Biological Science Award: “Sorbent Showdown” Jaxen Dybul, Jedai Hines (KapMS)
Junior Behavioral Science Award: “Lego Sparks” Kyrus Bajo (St. Theresa)
Junior Physical Science Award: “Hydro-Production Output” Brooklyn Braun (IS), “OMG BPA” Lily Santiago (St. Theresa), “What amount of blafdes is the most efficient to generate energy with wind turbines?” Tanner Miller (IS)
Senior Animal Science Award: “Rattling Crickets” Aaron Hinazumi (Kau), “Environmental Effects on Culex Oviposition Patterns” Lauryn Hashimoto (Kau)
Senior Behavioral Science Award: “Standford Youth Diabetes Coaches Program: Impact on People with Diabetes” Kaylyn Gray, Keri Lorellie Cabalbag, Shanelle Ckyzzza Juliano (Kau)
Senior Biological Science Award: “The Promising Properties of Honey” Madeline Gregerson, Paige Labutong (Kau), “Testing Different Coagulants on Blood Clotting” Lily Glick (IS)
Senior Environmental Science Award: “The Circle: Earth, Air, and Fires” Caylee Garma (Kau), “Identifying Microbial Organisms Digested by Tilapia in the ‘Alekoko Fishpond using eDNA” Jeanine Longboy (Kau)
Senior Engineering &Theoretical Science Award: “Using Organic Material Mats to Clean Oil Spills” Ashley Chun (IS), “Studying the Feasibility of Hawaiian Flora Image Recognition with Machine Learning” Skyler Tanicala, Keegan Ushio (Kau)
American Psychological Association Award: “Stanford Youth Diabetes Coaches Program: Impact on People with Diabetes” Kaylyn Gray, Keri Lorellie Cabalbag, Shanelle Ckyzza Juliano (Kau)
Association for Women Geoscientists Award: “The Circle: Earth, Air, and Fires” Caylee Garma (Kau)
NASA Earth System Science Award: “Using Organic Material Mats to Clean Oil Spills” Ashley Chun (IS)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award: “Identifying Microbial Organisms Digested by Tilapia in the ‘Alekoko Fishpond using eDNA” Jeanine Longboy (Kau)
Office of Naval Research – U.S. Mavy/U.S. Marine Corps Awards: Junior Projects: “Crystal Grow” Avery Bouck (Kau), “What amount of blades is the most efficient to generate energy with wind turbines?” Tanner Miller (IS), Senior Projects: “Testing Different Coagulants on Blood Clotting” Lily Glick (IS), “Using Organic Material Mats to Clean Oil Spills” Ashley Chun (IS)
Regeneron Biomedical Science Award: “The Promising Properties of Honey” Madelyn Gregerson, Paige Labutong (Kau)
Ricoh USA, Inc.. Award: “Evaluating Aquatic Biodiversity: Species Identification in Nomilo Fishpond through eDNA Analysis” Johnray Salud, Gareson Carveiro (Kau)
U.S. Agency for International Development Award: “Effluent Impact on Agriculture” Andrew Sadamitsu (Kau)
U.S. Metric Association Award: “OMG BPA” Lily Santiago (St. Theresa)
United States Air Force Award: “What amount of blades is the most efficient to generate energy with wind turbines?” Tanner Miller (IS), “Speaker Enclosure Size and Frequency Response” Peyton Serquina, “Hydro-Production Output” Brooklyn Braun (IS), “eDNA Nomilo Fishpond” Samantha Tominaga (Kau)
Yale Science and Engineering Association Award: “Environmental Effects on Culex Oviposition Patterns” Lauryn Hashimoto (Kau)
