Feats of Science

Photo by Kaiao Goodhue.

Elementary students from around Molokai tested their scientific muscle in an event called the Molokai Science Olympiad last Saturday, the first-ever event of its kind on the island. Held at Kaunakakai School, students in grades three to six from Maunaloa, Kualapu`u and Kaunakakai schools participated in teams, challenging each other to tests of engineering, math and science prowess.

One competition featured launching rockets made from soda bottles and pressurized with water and air. The winner of the competition was the team whose rocket remained aloft the longest. In another event, students designed and constructed bridges from uncooked pasta; the winning bridge could hold the greatest amount of weight. A third event tested team communication skills; one team member described how to build a device, while their partner reconstructed the item from raw materials following the directions given.

“The first Molokai Science Olympiad was a huge success and the student participants from elementary to high school shared and demonstrated their innovative and creative products,” said Kaunakakai School Principal Janice Espiritu. “We’re extremely proud of the student’s accomplishments in STEM activities and thank the teachers, judges, and sponsors who made it all possible.”