Student winners announced at Hawaiʻi STEM Conference 

This year’s Hawaiʻi STEM Conference, organized by Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) STEMworks program, welcomed almost 600 attendees, including over 70 teachers and 300 students in grades 6-12 from all across the state.

The conference featured two keynote speakers, an exhibit hall with 35 organizations tabling, 47 student breakout sessions, 13 teacher breakout sessions, a speed networking session with over 50 STEM industry professionals, a college mentorship roundtable session, and 14 different pre-conference and on-site STEM competitions for student attendees.

In addition to over 225 attending industry professionals, the conference was supported by its sponsors, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, AECOM, the Henry Kapono Foundation, Pacific Point, and the Stupski Foundation, as well as grant funding from the County of Maui, the State of Hawaiʻi, the US Department of Education, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kamehameha Schools, and Hawaiʻi P-20.

Highlights included keynote addresses by STEM education expert and author, Brendan Brennan, and the Founder and CEO of Kolohe, Rose Wong.

Wong, who started out as a local teenager selling jewelry outside her school and now runs a luxury jewelry company based in Waikīkī, shared with the STEM conference students, “Opportunities are all around you, you just have to train yourself to see them…When people see a young person showing up, they want to be a part of it!”

During the conference’s Star Party, an evening social event with dancing, games, and stargazing through telescopes outside, Henry Kapono himself gave a special performance for the students and teachers in attendance. After the event, he said: “Takes a good team to impact people’s lives, this is what the STEMworks team does for high school kids.”  

STEMworks closed the conference with the STEMMY Awards ceremony, announcing the following student competition winners:  

• Conference T-Shirt Graphic Design Winner: Lucy Blanchard (Kauaʻi HS) 
• Conference Sticker Graphic Design Winner: Collin Francks (Kauaʻi HS) 
• Social Media Content Winner: Kahakuhaʻakoi Hamakua-Laemoa (Molokaʻi HS) 
• Renewable Energy Innovation in Everyday Objects Winner: Chelsey Miguel (King Kekaulike HS)  
• AI in Urban Waste Management Winners: Jeremiah Jacinto, Dylan Molina, and Ayden Truong (Baldwin HS)  
• Backyard Agricultural Innovation Winners: Krishen Doronio, Sarah Fahnestock, and Jonathan McDonnell (Maui HS)  
• The Importance of Laughter Health PSA Winners: Janica Andres and Charelle Jan Ramo (Keaʻau HS) 
• Video Game Design, Level 1 Winners: Aeioumyl Calleda, Erica Barut, and Tucker Weeks (Maui Waena Intermediate) 
• Video Game Design, Level 2 Winners: Emilio JP Madriago, Chrulsantino Ruiz, and Leson Chen (Maui HS) 
• Video Game Design, Level 3 Winners: Mazzy McCloud, Marlena Morgan, and Sofia Stading (Island Pacific Academy) 
• STEMworks Lab Spotlight winners: Aileen Kim and Jeremiah Jacinto (Baldwin HS)  
• Growing Beyond Earth Project Winners: Kilohana Meyer, Mahealani Braxton, and Timika McLaurin (Molokaʻi HS) 
• Conference Highlight Video Competition (run in partnership with HIKI NŌ of PBS Hawai’i) winners: Emma Jane Roy, Miya Suzuki, and Penelope Dolin (Baldwin HS) 
• Entrepreneurship Competition (run in partnership with VentureLab) Winners: Aileen Kim, Sofia Kloft-Hibbard, Jamie Flower, Aris Rumbaoa, Malie Grundy, and Emma Agcolicol (Baldwin HS) 

More information about the Hawaii STEM Conference is available on the conference website, https://www.hawaiistemconference.org/.