Top Kaua‘i Regional Science Fair Projects Advance to State Competition

Rain and wind did not dampen the accomplishments of Kaua‘i students who exhibited research at the Kaua‘i Regional Science and Engineering Fair at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall. Spectators viewed 37 science projects laid out in the lobby and kitchen area, and top entries in the senior and junior divisions were announced to advance to the statewide competition in Honolulu.

Kauai High School student Drezdin Taylor earned top honors in the senior division with the project “Analyzing the Mycorrhizae of Non-Native and Native Hawaiian Trees.” Dan Matthews, Kaua‘i Regional Science and Engineering Fair Director, presented the award alongside House Speaker Nadine Nakamura, with Tanner Miller, Cora Rosenthal, Joy Lin, Kasarah Navor and Adelaide Mottley named in the presentation. Island School student Nathaniel Knickel won the junior division top spot for “How Effective Is A Homemade Hydrometer?” Dan Matthews also presented junior-division winners including Makayla Oliver, James Burkhart and Anthony Riola.

Local organizers and visiting judges emphasized mentorship and professional feedback as key parts of the fair’s value. Sailors and personnel assigned to the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands participated as judges and mentors, giving students face-to-face technical input and examples of applied science careers. The Navy emphasized the broader purpose of fairs in building scientific skills: “Science is a central aspect of our society. Scientific literacy not only gives us a better understanding of the world around us, it strengthens everyday skills of problem solving, critical thinking, using technology effectively, and working as part of a team to reach a common objective.” The Navy also said, “The projects students presented must show imaginative solutions to issues affecting the world around them,” and that, “These initiatives range from environmental impacts, developing new technology, to medical research and much more. The Navy values the diversity that can come from innovators who may see things in a different light.”

Advancing from Kaua‘i to the Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair gives students a shot at cash, scholarships and national exposure. Students selected at the state level can be named among the top five projects to represent Hawai‘i at the International Science & Engineering Fair; the Office of Naval Research also supports finalists with awards and scholarships. “In addition to recognizing over 800 high school students at science fairs with certificates and monetary awards, the Office of Naval Research will award five portable undergraduate scholarships to high school students at ISEF, who is a U.S. citizen, which will be held in Dallas this year. Five students will receive a $15,000 Chief of Naval Research Scholarship.”

Beyond the current winners, past Kaua‘i participants show a clear pathway from local fairs to advanced research and careers. Past projects have ranged from mangrove removal impacts at ‘Alekoko fishpond to DNA metabarcoding and tissue scaffolding, and alumni have gone on to ISEF and university research programs. Photographs and captions of the Kaua‘i event were provided by Dennis Fujimoto/The Garden Island.

For Kaua‘i residents, the fair is more than a contest: it is a community pipeline that connects school-based science to island restoration work, Navy technical mentorship and national opportunity. Next steps for the winners will be preparation for the state fair in Honolulu and, potentially, competition on the national stage in Dallas.