April 26, 2012
2012 Mauna Kea Collectors Coin Available at AstroDay.
AstroDay, Saturday May 5, 2012
Released from `Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai`i

Hilo, Hawai`i - Have you ever seen petroglyph telescopes? If not, find them on the 2012 Mauna Kea Coin.

The 2012 Mauna Kea Coin design was awarded to Serena Usuda, seventh grader at Waiakea Intermediate School. The winning design connects Hawaiian culture and nature, with modern telescopes in her petroglyph-style artwork.

The 2012 coin will be distributed at AstroDay in the Prince Kuhio Plaza shopping mall in Hilo, Saturday, May 5 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Those who collect all the stamps from the observatory stations on the Mauna Kea coin "passport", will receive a free aluminum coin. The passport will be available at the Mauna Kea Coin Contest booth close to the center stage. The antique bronze finish coin will be available for sale at Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station and its e-store.

The contest was open to K-12 students on Hawai`i Island from January 28 to March 9, 2012. Each design was required to include both astronomy and Hawaiian cultural themes related to Maunakea. There were 1,006 entries in total from Hawai`i island, 300 more entries from the previous year. Some teachers sent entries consisting of the entire class. Judges James Kealai`i Pihana and Koa Rice, Hawaiian cultural practitioners, and Shawn Laatsch, `Imiloa planetarium manager, selected the top three designs in grades K-4, 5-8, and 9-12 categories, respectively. Chief Judge Jon Lomberg, the world famous space artist who designed the Galaxy Garden in Honaunau, selected the final design from the nine category winners.

When shown the nine designs, Lomberg stated, "Ah, it is hard to select only one." "I carefully reviewed each design, and chose Serena Usuda's petroglyph-style artwork as the final design for the 2012 coin." Lomberg also selected the 2nd and 3rd place overall designs. The entries were anonymous in the entire judging process, so that the judges focused on the merits of each design. All ages competed for the top design and in 2011 and 2012, 7th graders were awarded the top design.

The contest award ceremony will be held at AstroDay's center stage at Prince Kuhio Plaza from 11:00am to 11:40am. All the winning designs will be displayed at the coin contest booth at AstroDay, May 5th, and on the Mauna Kea Coin Contest 2012 official site: http://mkooc.org/Coin2012

The Mauna Kea Coin Contest is initiated by Mauna Kea Astronomy Outreach Committee (MKAOC) and co-sponsored by KTA Super Stores, `Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai`i, Onizuka Space Center, and Galaxy Garden/Paleaku Gardens Peace Sanctuary. The purpose of the contest is to enhance awareness of Maunakea.

mauna kea coin 2011







The 2012 Mauna Kea coin (antique bronze finish) designed by Serena Usuda, seventh grader at Waiakea Intermediate School.

logos of the sponsors
Mauna Kea Coin Contest 2012 is sponsored by Mauna Kea Astronomy Outreach Committee (MKAOC) a.k.a. Mauna Kea Observatories Outreach Committee (MKOOC), KTA Super Stores, `Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai`i, Onizuka Space Center, & Galaxy Garden/Paleaku Gardens Peace Sanctuary.

Copyright © 2012 Mauna Kea Coin Contest 2012 Committee. All rights reserved.