Kauai schools LIHUE >> Two Kauai schools sent students and teachers to the University of Idaho yesterday for the finals of EdTechQuest, a competition for the best school-designed Web sites.
spin competitive
Web sites
Students and teachers are
in Idaho for the new
regional contestHawaii schools' Web sites
win national honorsBy Anthony Sommer
Star-BulletinFive Kapaa High School students and teacher Wade Bosworth will present "Electronic Spy Protection Institute," which is an interactive learning game aimed at providing information about famous scientists and their discoveries.
Chiefess Kamakahelei School in Puhi is sent seven students and teacher Leah Aiwohi to show off a Web site on the school's DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program. The same Web site already placed third at the 2001 International Cyberfair.
This is the first year for EdTechQuest, and University of Idaho education professor Eddie Kennedy said it took off far beyond anything the school had imagined.
"Next year, we're going to start earlier and possibly make it national instead of just the Western states," he said. Judging will be done by a panel of computer professionals who are not affiliated with the university.
(Chiefess Kamakahelei's Web site entry can be found online at http://kauila.k12.hi.us/~dare. The Kapaa High entry is not on the Internet.)
About $40,000 worth of prizes in the form of computer hardware and software are at stake.
The travel expenses for both schools are being picked up by the Kauai Economic Development Board.
Last year, KEDB obtained $35,000 in federal grants to provide Chiefess Kamakahelei with computers and software. The school has 500 modern computers for its 1,000 students, or one computer for every two students. The national average is one computer for every five students.
KEDB is working to obtain a $75,000 grant to launch an even more ambitious program at Chiefess Kamakahelei next year.
"All we've asked in return is that the schools make long-term commitments to computer education," said KEDB Chairman Gary Baldwin.
KEDB has attracted a half-dozen high-tech companies to open facilities on Kauai during the past two years, and Baldwin said he wants to help the schools train future high-tech workers.
"My goal is that these kids all will end up working on Kauai," he said.
Leah Aiwohi, who will accompany the Chiefess Kamakahelei students to Idaho, said her role as coach has been to help suggest ideas. The Web site was developed by the sixth- and seventh-graders as part of the advanced technology class.
The students used the latest versions of complex graphics programs such as Photoshop, which many adults find daunting. And it features extensive use of animation.
Part of the competition, which will take place tomorrow and be shown live via the Internet, requires oral presentations by the students.
The Chiefess Kamakahelei students are taking it so seriously they planned to practice voice projection this Sunday in the school library with a drama teacher.
But the contest itself does not seem to have them worried.
"I'm excited," said student Web designer Carrie Inouye, "because I've never been to Idaho before."
Web sites designed by students from many Hawaii schools did well at ThinkQuest, a national competition for grades 4 through 9. Winners announced Friday included: Hawaii schools' Web sites
win national honorsThe Platinum Award ($1,000 per student, $2,000 per coach, $1,000 per school):
"Through Our Eyes and Hearts and Minds -- World War II," Aiea Elementary School, Aiea.
The Gold Award ($750 per student, $1,500 per coach, $750 per school):
"Rex Rampage," Enchanted Lake Elementary, Kailua.
"Why are Hawaii's Wetlands Vanishing?" LET Academy, Honolulu.
The Silver Award ($500 per student, $1,000 per coach, $500 per school):
"A Day That Will Live in Infamy: The Bombing of Pearl Harbor," Kapolei Elementary.
Honorable Mention:
"Let's Have A Lu'au!" (two schools, joint effort), Mokapu Elementary School, Kailua, and Fern Elementary, Honolulu."I Got Me a Paradise ... A Kid's-Eye View of Hawaii," Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School, Kauai.
Hawaii School Web Sites