Kauai students earn five awards at state science fair, led by top NOAA prize

Kauai’s next generation of scientists and engineers came home from Honolulu with more than trophies. They brought back a sign that the island can build its own talent pipeline, with Kauai High School student Adelaide Mottley winning the top National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Grand Award and a $1,000 prize at the 69th Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair.

The Kauai delegation sent 16 middle- and high-school contestants from Hanalei Elementary School, Kauai High School, Island School and St. Theresa School to the April 1-2 competition at Neal Blaisdell Exhibition Hall. Fifteen of the 16 were first-time state finalists, a detail that points to more than one standout year. It suggests a growing base of students getting exposure to research, competition and statewide recognition, the kind of experience that can feed future careers in science, engineering and health care on an island that often has to grow its own workforce.

One of the strongest examples came from Island School’s Nathaniel Knickel, who competed in the Junior Division and took first place in Earth and Environmental Science for a project on a homemade hydrometer. He also won a Junior Award from the American Water Works Association-Hawaii Chapter, a useful signal for work tied to water systems, one of Kauai’s most practical and persistent infrastructure needs.

St. Theresa School’s Sophia San Agustin added another layer to Kauai’s showing, placing third in Biomedical and Health Science and earning a Hawaii Optometric Association award. Her teacher, Shantel Santiago, received the organization’s Teacher Award as well. Hanalei School’s Ella Bresnahan earned a Hawaii Water Environmental Association award, and Kauai High School’s Drezdin Taylor received a Purple Maia award.

Dan Matthews, Kauai Student Research director, said the results reflected community fundraising, school support and the work of the nonprofit, which helps island students reach district, state and international competition. Kauai Student Research says its resources are available to every secondary student on the island, including public, private, charter and home-school students, and that it provides student and teacher training, data-collection tools and competition support.

The group’s 2025-26 calendar listed the Kauai Regional Science and Engineering Fair for Feb. 7 at the Kauai War Memorial and the state fair in Honolulu for April 1-2. Kauai’s 2026 delegation also topped last year’s state contingent of 13 student representatives from five schools, another sign that participation is widening as the island builds a deeper bench in STEM.