In April 2003, the Hawai‘i Water Environment Association (HWEA) chose Ms. Kiana L. Frank, a high school junior from Kamehameha Schools as the State SJWP winner at the 46th Hawai‘i State Science and Engineering Fair.  HWEA awarded Kiana a $250 prize and sponsored airfare for her and her parent to this year’s national competition.  The national competition was a three-day all expenses paid program that began on June 5 and ended with an awards presentation on June 7.   Aside from the academic pursuit of excellence, students were treated to a “Luau night” (complete with seashell center pieces, conga lines and limbo……limbo???), a dude ranch night (with horseback riding, line dancing, and campfires), and the final night included a medieval theme event.

In a ceremony held Saturday, June 7, Kiana was one of four finalists who competed for the national SJWP in Dallas, Texas.  Kiana was selected as a finalist from a pool of 37 state SJWP winners.  She received $500 for this national competition.

The national winner was Ms. Heather Mispagel, a Georgia High School student from Athens, Georgia who was awarded $2,500 and received an all-expense paid trip to Stockholm, Sweden for the international competition.

Kiana’s project was entitled, “The Effect of Agricultural and Residential Runoff on the Microbiology of a Hawaiian Ahupua’a.”  Her project examined the relationship between environmental runoff and the incidence of antibiotic resistance in bacteria in freshwater streams.  You can click here to view her abstract in Adobe pdf format.  After returning to the islands from the national competition, Kiana stated, “The SJWP competition was very exciting and just an amazing experience.”  She even had an opportunity to dance the hula.  She further stated, “Thank you so much for this amazing opportunity.”

Below are some photos of Kiana’s at the national competition: