Kahakai LEGO robotics innovates at states

Kahakai Elementary School’s fifth-grade LEGO robotics team took home the first place Project Innovation Award from the FIRST LEGO League State Championship Saturday at Neal S. Blaidsell Center in Honolulu.

Team Kahakai Alii was one of 42 teams competing at the state championship and one of three teams from the Big Island, the others being Waimea Paniolo II from Waimea Middle School and Parker Bulls Tech from Parker School. All three Big Island school teams had won their state championship slot at the West Hawaii District Tournament Nov. 12.

Team Kahakai Alii was comprised of five boys and five girls, the maximum size allowed. The mission of FIRST is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership. This year’s team was led by two team captains: Marisa Boerner and Jada Keen.

The students’ winning innovative project, entitled “Gene 5950,” was motivated by the recent dengue fever outbreak on the Big Island. After meeting with and interviewing two entomologists who work closely with mosquitoes on the island, Dr. Dennis LaPointe and Chris Jacobson, the team’s idea was to create a new gene called 5950 that would break down any disease or virus in the mosquito’s body before it was spread to another person. The gene 5950 would automatically be transferred to the next generation of mosquitoes, eliminating the need to keep releasing mosquitoes and making it cost effective.

LaPointe said, “Your Gene 5950 is a great idea! I think it is a goal for scientists to come up with something like your gene to be able to eliminate the spreading of viruses.” The team also partnered with Maricia Save and her Vector Control team from the Hawaii Department of Health to conduct a mosquito site visit at their school as a community project. They searched for mosquito larvae and properly treated the areas where larvae were found.

Team coaches Alisha DeGuair and Lori Uchimura are extremely proud of their LEGO robotics program. In its 10th year anniversary, Kahakai Robotics has sent one or two teams to the state tournament for a total of eight out of 10 years. This is the third year in a row Kahakai has brought home a state championship award. “A large part of our success is due to having the kids involved in all parts of the program and our team mentor, Dr. Dave Pratt, who has put in countless hours to help teach the kids about robots and computer programming,” said DeGuair. “We don’t have the time and resources to have a year-around robotics program that some other schools might have but we make the most of what we have.” Besides their two FIRST LEGO League teams, Kahakai also has a successful Junior LEGO program for students in the second and third grades lead by coach Lenore Garcia.