Olomana Girl’s Project Wins Big In Science

Linda Dela Cruz
Wednesday - May 05, 2010
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Esther Lehua Tuisalo’o (right) receives praise from science teacher Danielle Pierce for the Olomana School junior’s project ‘Can Wii Do It?,’ which won the U.S. Surgeon General’s Award at the recent Hawaii High School Science and Technology Fair. Photo from Ishmael Stagner.

Olomana School’s Esther Lehua Tuisalo’o won the U.S. Surgeon General’s Award at last month’s state science fair, despite a do-it-yourself challenge.

“Lehua is the only girl in the state to get this award,” said Ishmael Stagner, an Alu Like volunteer at Olomana, an alternative public school in Kailua. “The U.S. Surgeon General prize isn’t always given, and the school is very excited,” he added, noting that she purchased her own supplies and materials since Olomana has no science lab or equipment. The school did, however, provide Tuisalo’o with “two major boosters” - science teachers Danielle Pierce and Bridinha Duck.

Tuisalo’o's project, Can Wii Do It?, tested whether there was any difference in heart rate between people who played basketball on Wii and those who played it on the courts. (She found no significant difference.)


 

In addition, all four of Kailua Intermediate’s entries won statewide awards, said KIS science teacher Derek Esibill. Eighth-graders Charlie Dickens, CJ Covington and Chris Phillips may pursue a patent on their buoy project, which generated electricity from waves and was honored by the U.S. Navy and Marines. “They’ve been asked to participate in the development of speed-regulatory buoys off Mokauea Island to help preserve that fishing community (off Sand Island), which has erosion problems caused by speeding boats,” he said.

KIS seventh-grader Robert Heckman earned four awards and $250 for his research on Kaneohe Bay coral tumors. “He is a very determined young man,” noted Esibill. “He works through the whole scientific process.”


Noelle Blackman won two awards for a sun study, and an enterococcus project by Amanda Bell, Sierra Jackson and Katie Norris was named among the top 5 percent of all state projects.

Honorable mentions went to Kameron Ho Ching of Kahuku High and Intermediate for Which Soundboard Wood You Choose? and Trinity Christian School’s Cameron Ray for Testing Wing Design. St. Anthony School’s Marcia McCrea Braden had two of her students place in the junior display category: Hallie Pound’s Jellyfish (first) and Nathan Revor’s Vertical Agriculture (third).

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