Students strut their stuff at science fair

Projects at the fair amply displayed the remarkable ingenuity and brain power of the islands' young people, who tackled complex subjects with real-world value.

Reduce use of imported oil? Kauai Island School's Aaron Rozon figured out a way to extract biodiesel fuel from kukui nuts.

Improve cancer detection? Mililani High's Lucia Mocz designed a method using computers to spot cancer cells that traditional exams might miss.

Interested in the more esoteric? Lucia's brother, Philip, worked out a mathematical scheme to analyze the arrangement of the cosmos.

The fair, which boasted 358 entries involving 469 students from Hawaii's public and private schools, brightens the oft-gloomier perspective on science and math education. Not to deny room for improvement, the entries show that many students do make fine achievements in the classroom.

But there's a troubling note. State funding, which accounts for about half of the $200,000 cost of the fair, might not be available for its 50th anniversary next year. If the Department of Education can't find the money, surely businesses and the community could pitch in.

Who knows? One of these sharp students might devise a way to avoid sewage spills.

Meanwhile, congratulations go to the winners, including siblings Philip and Lucia, and to all who brought their smart ideas to the fair.