Science Fair
Science Fair is one of proud traditions that Mililani High School competes and flourishes in each year. Under the coordination of the Learning Centers and through the efforts of our exceptional Science Teachers, we support and guide students through the Investigatory Process.
Each year, MHS holds its own school Science Fair - where approximately 60+ projects share their projects, demonstrate their findings and contributions to the fields of STEM, and display their growth in the STEM Disciplines. These students compete for spots to progress to the Central District Science and Engineering Fair, where they present to community professionals across a variety of STEM disciplines and network with other students in both the Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua and Radford-Aiea-Moanalua complex area of schools. At this fair, the top two projects are guaranteed progression to the coveted Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair. Otherwise, other successful students at the District Fair are eligible to progress to the largest challenge yet: The Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair, hosted by the Hawaii Academy of Science.
Supplementary to into the Science Fair is the Pacific Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS), an enriching STEM program that brings students from all across the Pacific together to share their original independent research projects with peers and professionals. The Hawaii JSHS participates as the regional competition for the National JSHS - both are programs are sponsored by the United States Department of the Army, Navy, Air Force (Tri-Services) and hosted by the Hawaii Academy of Science. The competition was a two-day event where students gave oral presentations to a panel of judges on the 1st day and selected finalists presented on the 2nd day, followed by an awards ceremony. This year, the symposium was held at the Bishop Museum.
This year's fair dates and venues:
MHS Science Fair - January 17, 2024 @ Mililani High
Central District Science and Engineering Fair - February 2, 2023 @ Honolulu Community College
Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair - April 1-3, 2023 @ Neal Blaisdell Exhibition Hall
International Science and Enginering Fair - May 11-17, 2023 @ Anaheim, CA
ARCHIVE
2023 Regeneron International Science and Engineering FairÂ
For the first time since 2019, Mililani High School and the state of Hawaii at large participated in-person at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair. This year's fair was hosted in Dallas, Texas where two of our students, juniors Cassidy Ibanez and Kenneth Yi, qualified to compete in the fair to showcase their scientific research to both field professionals and likeminded peers from across the globe.Â
Click on the blue hyperlinks to view their digital project pages!
Cassidy Ibanez, 11
The 2023 ISEF Hawaii Delegation - with students from all across Hawaii!
Kenneth Yi, 11
2023 Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair
For the first time since 2019, 11 of our students were able to physically complete in the Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair to present their scientifici research projects with judges, STEM professionals, and peers - with a shot at being awarded a variety of special awards from local industry and agencies as well as the glory that comes with achieving excellence in their competition category.
The following students achieved the following awards at the 2023 HSSEF:
Cassidy Ibanez (11) - Biomass-Powered Desalination Year 3: Combustion Tuning by Closed Loop Control System
2nd Place - Engineering Technology: Statistics and Dynamics (ETSD)
$300 award - American Water Works Association, Hawai'i Section
$300 award - University of Hawai'i at Manoa, College of Engineering
Sydney Yamamoto (10) - The Effects of Ocean Acidification on Shellfish
$150 award, certificate, and book - Friends of Hanauma Bay
Lauren Gerber (12) - The Use of Moss as a Cover Crop and Bio-filter for Excess Sodium Chloride (NaCl) in Hawaiian Coastal Farm Soil
3rd Place - Plant Sciences (PLNT)
Certificate - Office of Naval Research U.S. Navy/U.S. Marine Corps
$150 award - Hawai'i Botanical Society
Jaycee Hasegawa (10) - The Effect of Colored Mirrors on Plant Growth
Certificate - NASA Earth System Science Award
Hubert Yang (10) - Freshwater Acidification and its Effects on Land-Based Flora
$100 award - Hawai'i Water Environmental Association
Kenneth Yi (11) - Decontamination of Heavy Metals Through Phytoremediation by NativeHawaiian Plants
1st Place - Environmental Engineering (ENEV)
$100 award - Hawai'i Association of Environmental Professionals
$100 award - Purple Mai'a
2023 Central District Science and Engineering Fair
It's been 3 whole years since the last in-person district competition, but our science fair students did not disappoint! In a fair of over 40 projects, 11 were selected by judges to progress to 2023 Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair. Of our 17 competing projects, 9 qualified to compete at the next tier of competition in the science fair circuit.
Our cohort, prior to the start of the awards ceremony.
Our cohort of students progressing to the 2023 Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair
The student projects that will be progressing to and competing in the 2023 Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair:
Lauren Gerber - The Use of Moss as a Cover Crop and Bio-filter for Excess Sodium Chloride (NaCl) in Hawaiian Coastal Farm Soil
Kaden Murakami and Kyli Murakami - Hydroponics: Soil Free Growing
Ava Maclachlan - The Effect of Different Cleaning Methods on Lettuce and Strawberry Bacteria Count
Hubert Yang - The Effect of Car-Polluted Run-Off Water on Plant Growth
Jaycee Hasegawa - The Effect of Colored Mirrors on Plant Growth
Cassidy Ibanez - Biomass Powered Desalination Year III: Combustion Tuning by Closed Loop Control System
Mariko Yonemura - Cleaning Solutions made from Environmentally Friendly Substances
Leesa Takara - Determining Precision of the MuSCAT3 Instrument with Transit Photometry
Kenneth Yi - Decontamination of Heavy Metals Through Phytoremediation by Native Hawaiian Plants
Additionally, we were fortunate enough to clinch both of the coveted direct invitations to the 2023 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair held in Dallas, Texas in May 2023.
Cassidy Ibanez (11), with her project:Â
Biomass Powered Desalination Year III: Combustion Tuning by Closed Loop Control System
Kenneth Yi (11), with his project:
 Decontamination of Heavy Metals Through Phytoremediation by Native Hawaiian Plants
2023 MHS School Science Fair
Good work to all of the students who participated in the Mililani High School Science Fair on Wednesday, January 18th 2023.Â
Of our student competitors, 17 projects qualified to compete at the 2023 Central District Science and Engineering Fair on Friday, February 3rd 2023.Â
Congratulations to the following students who moved on to the Central District Fair:
Click the hyperlinks to view their project slides!
Lauren Gerber - The Use of Moss as a Cover Crop and Bio-filter for Excess Sodium Chloride (NaCl) in Hawaiian Coastal Farm Soil
Kaden Murakami and Kyli Murakami - Hydroponics: Soil Free Growing
Ava Maclachlan - The Effect of Different Cleaning Methods on Lettuce and Strawberry Bacteria Count
Ethan Sare - The Impact of Music in Subliminal Messaging
Exodus Ramos-Pacanza - Homemade Filtered Water Vs. Tap Waters
Sydney Yamamoto - How does ocean acidification affect shellfish?
Hubert Yang - The Effect of Car-Polluted Run-Off Water on Plant Growth
Miki Haitsuka and Annabel Fong - Examining Water Filtration with Total Dissolved Solids Levels
Kyle Borromeo - Stay On, Brilliant Bronze: Copper
Jaycee Hasegawa - The Effect of Colored Mirrors on Plant Growth
Cassidy Ibanez - Biomass Powered Desalination Year III: Combustion Tuning by Closed Loop Control System
Mariko Yonemura - Cleaning Solutions made from Environmentally Friendly Substances
Leesa Takara - Determining Precision of the MuSCAT3 Instrument with Transit Photometry
Ava Donald and Raphael Pecoraro - Evaluating the Tensile Strength of Dypsis lutescens
Reina Servano - Conceptualizing the Feasibility using Guidance Navigation Control Solutions and Supervised Reinforcement Learning for Martian Ascent
Russel Winters - Hard Water Around Oahu
Kenneth Yi - Decontamination of Heavy Metals Through Phytoremediation by Native Hawaiian Plants
Hawaii Junior Science and Humanities Symposium 2023
Several of our learning center students participated in the Hawaii Pacific Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, an enriching STEM program that brings students from all across the Pacific together to share their original independent research projects with peers and professionals. The Hawaii JSHS participates as the regional competition for the National JSHS - both are programs are sponsored by the United States Department of the Army, Navy, Air Force (Tri-Services) and hosted by the Hawaii Academy of Science. The competition was a two-day event where students gave oral presentations to a panel of judges on the 1st day and selected finalists presented on the 2nd day, followed by an awards ceremony. This year, the symposium was held at the Bishop Museum.
Congratulations to all of the students who participated in the symposium:
Ava Donald (11) - Processing a Biodegradable, Lightweight, Durable, Plant-Based, Fibrous Material Out of Lolium multiflorum
Belise Swartwood (11) - Comparing Convolutional Neural Network Strategies to Label the Tricuspid Valve on MRI Images on the Heart
Cassidy Ibanez (11)- Biomass Powered Desalination Year 3: Automated Combustion Tuning Using a Closed Loop Control System [SEMI FINALIST]
Ethan Sare (10) - The Impact of Music on Subliminal Messaging and Human Behavior
Jaycee Hasegawa (10) - Effects of Colored Mirrors on Plant Growth
Leesa Takara (10) - Determining Precision of the MuSCAT3 Instrument with Transit Photometry
Kenneth Yi (11) - Decontamination of Heavy Metals Through Phytoremediation by Native Hawaiian Plants