MBA’s Hwang tops PSS’ STEM Fair

  An 11th grader from Marianas Baptist Academy emerged the overall champion of the 2012 Public School System Islandwide STEM Fair last Saturday after her entry “Cocosun” bagged the top prize in the health and nutrition category.

Jee Hui Hwang’s project will now represent the CNMI in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, the world’s largest international pre-college science competition which will be held in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania from May 13 to 18.

She will compete against more than 1,500 high school students across countries, regions, and territories who will showcase their own independent researches.

Hwang’s project topped her school’s science fair which entitled her to compete in the state level alongside private and public schools in the Commonwealth.

Surprised by the recognition, Hwang vowed to do her best to represent the CNMI in the national competition. She said it took her a month to finalize her “Cocosun” entry, which is about making the island’s coconut oil as a natural organic sunscreen that will protect people’s skin from sunrays and sunburns.

From the statement of her problem, to gathering hypothesis and experiments, Hwang’s project received the approval of judges that include acting governor Eloy Inos, House Speaker Eli Cabrera (R-Saipan) and Rep. Edmund Villagomez (Cov-Saipan), among others.

Four other students from kindergarten to 8th grade were hailed overall winners in Saturday’s competition and earned slots to compete in the Guam science fair next month.

They included Thomas Manglona from Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Jr. & Sr. High School who emerged first place in the sixth to eighth grade division. His project titled “Marianas Crow Self-Recognition Mirror Test,” was the first conducted on the island and was inspired by the student’s biologists-friends from the Rota’s Aviary Ecology Program.

The award, he told Saipan Tribune, was also unexpected. This year marked the second time Manglona won the overall award in the island STEM Fair, the first was when he was in fourth grade.

In the fourth to fifth grade division, hailed overall winner and will now advance in the Guam science competition was Koblerville Elementary’s Angel Legaspi while Kaitlyn Ishizaki of Dandan Elementary ruled the second to third grade division. For kindergarten to first grade, Kagman Elementary’s Devin Kapileo won the title.

144 total entries

According to Jeaniffer Cubangbang, one of the event’s coordinators, PSS received 144 total entries which is an increase by 40 from last school year. These projects competed in seven categories: life science, physical science, earth and space science, health and nutrition and medical, behavioral and social science, technology and electronics, and mathematics.

Each year, she disclosed entries from students are getting better which is a testament of their increasing interest and love for science and math.

She said STEM Fair allows students to enhance learning and communication skills through engaging in hands-on activities, experimentation, research, and presentation.

PSS associate commissioner for administrative services Glenn Muna, along with STEM Fair coordinators, also conferred Saturday medals to individual winners in each grade level and from each categories.

Also recognized during the ceremony was the Marianas High School aeronautical team, which won the state and regional Real World Design Challenge and will advance to the national competition in Washington, D.C. Also recognized were second place Kagman High School and third place state winner Saipan Southern High School. This is the first time the CNMI will be competing in the national real world design competition.

Saturday’s even was graced by hundreds of parents and community members who showed their support to their children.