first place ribbon 1st place: Roman Usuda
Waiakea Elementary School, grade 4

design by Roman Usuda

Combination of constellations above observatories on top of Mauna Kea with a boy and a girl peeking into the night skies through a telescope. Coconut tree reflexes the Polynesian cultures. (Pihana)

Good imagination and showing youth viewing through telescope looking up at sea level. Telescopes on Mauna Kea and constellations are shown. Very well done! (Rice)

Wonderful use of cultural and astronomical elements. I especially enjoyed seeing students looking at the sky with the observatories and Makali`i (the Pleiades star cluster). (Laatsch)

second place ribbon 2nd Place: Raquel Ross
Waiakeawaena Elementary School, grade 3, Mrs. Turner

design by Raquel Ross

View from sea level on board a canoe, to the top to the summit of Mauna Kea with a comet, stars, and mahina (the Moon) in the sky. The Moon is very important in Hawaiian culture. Honu (turtle) in the ocean with humuhumunukunukuapua`a fish connects the legends of Hawai`i. (Pihana)

Good job showing connection with navigation of wa`a (canoe), humuhumunukunukuapua`a, honu, Mauna Kea with telescopes and starts. (Rice)

Excellent use of nature, voyaging, and astronomy. Very artistic! (Laatsch)

third place ribbon 3rd Place: Vyas S. Hale
Holualoa Elementary School, grade 4, Mrs. Haupert

design by Vyas S. Hale

Stars over Hawai`i – depicting Maui's fishhook (Scorpius) and a double hull canoe: the ancient navigation concept of traveling to reach land. Moving into the 21st century of observatories on Mauna Kea with the help of stars depicting the year 2012. (Pihana)

Love the way connected the starts. Pointing out the canoe & Scorpius (Maui's fish hook) and showing Mauna Kea. (Rice)

The Wa`a (canoe) constellation and Maui's fishhook were nicely incorporated with observatory and Mauna Kea. (Laatsch)

    Judges:
  • James K. Pihana (native Hawaiian cultural practitioner)
  • Koa Rice (Hawaiian cultural practitioner)
  • Shawn Laatsch (planetarium manager at `Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai`i)
photo of the judges
(From left to right) Shawn Laatsch, James K. Pihana, and Koa Rice
See messages from the judges

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.