The Department of Education has announced the winners of the 34th American Samoa Hugh School Science Symposium held November 23rd.
1st place :Pearl Eunice Munoz of Fa’asao Marist High School School;
2nd place: Letiunasema Nuusila of Samoana High School;
3rd place: Josephine Elena Pereira of Fa’asao Marist High School;
4th place: Liualevaiosina Leiato of Tafuna High School;
5th place: Maricia Chanel of Leone High School;
6th place: Elzira Noga of Tafuna High School;
7th place: Princess Viesca of Fa’asao Marist High School;
8th place: Kalista Koloi of Fa’asao Marist High School;
9th place: Lily Feng of South Pacific Academy:
10th place: Ron Mendoza of Manumalo Academy.
These top 10 students will represent American Samoa at the Regional Symposium, the Pacific Science Symposium for Science and Sustainability (PS3) in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The Pacific Symposium for Science and Sustainability is an annual event coordinated by the Hawaii Academy of Science and funded by the Department of the Army, Navy and Air Force to encourage high school students to pursue research and study in science, engineering and mathematics.
Hawaii Academy of Science selected Liualevaiosina Leiato of Tafuna High School as a semifinalist for this regional competition.
The local symposium was held November 23rd at the DWYA Gym Tafuna. 21 student research papers were reviewed by off-island readers (scientists and university faculties), selecting the top 10 student finalists to present on symposium day and judged by local judges.
The top five finalists from PS3 will be eligible to participate the national program, Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS). The top 5 winners will represent the Hawaii Region in the 2022 National JSHS competition with an all-expense paid trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico on April 20-24, 2022. Scholarships and travel to international science events are prizes included at the national JSHS.
DOE recognizes 11 semi-finalists who submitted papers for this year’s competition: Gabrielle V. Gayapa of South Pacific Academy; Michel Sun of South Pacific Academy, Sydney Clemns of South Pacific Academy, Carlos Leonel A. Sanchez of Samoana High School; Geogina Alofa of Manumalo Academy, Darrel Jualo of Manumalo Academy, Marissah Ioane of Nu’uuli Vocational Technical High School , Aifo’l Levu III of Nu’uuli Vocational Technical High School, Brian Kim of Manumalo Academy, Rain Harvey Santiago of Manumalo academy, Paleso’o Vaoga of Leone High School.
