St. Theresa School in Kekaha continues to build a strong tradition of excellence in science education, with consistent participation in annual science fairs among its 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. Each year, middle school learners actively engage in research, experimentation, and presentation at the school level, with many advancing to regional competitions.

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This sustained commitment has led to a remarkable pattern of success, as St. Theresa students regularly qualify for the state-level science fair—an achievement that reflects both student dedication and strong academic support.

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In 2025, the school reached an extraordinary milestone. Three St. Theresa learners qualified for the prestigious national Junior Innovators Challenge. This accomplishment is especially significant given the highly competitive field: out of approximately 3,000 national qualifiers, only 300 students were selected to advance. From Hawaii, just six students earned this distinction—and notably, half of them were from St. Theresa School in Kekaha.

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This year, at the State level competition, Sophia San Agustin, an 8th grader at STS, earned 3rd place in her division with her project ‘White Noise, Black Out,” and a special award from the Hawaii Optometric Association in the amount of $100. Her project investigated how white noise  affects REM sleep length. Sophia’s findings showed that most participants experienced an increase in REM sleep duration when exposed to white noise, with an overall average increase of 6 minutes (6.25% increase).

 

Sophia comments,  “It was such a good experience.  I was impressed by the projects from Punahou and Iolani.  Their projects inspired me to do an even more advanced project next year. Going to State competition was beneficial for me because I learned a lot from everyone else’s projects. I would love to expand my project next year and  study how white noise affects memory plasticity." She adds,   "It was fun to also hang with Anthony and James, too!” 

 

Anthony Riola and James Burkhart, 6th graders at STS, also qualified for State level competition.  

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James Burkhart earned high honors at the regional (Kauai) level, taking 3rd Place Overall in the Junior Division and receiving the Lemelson Award (Early Inventor’s Award) for his inventive work with plastics and cement. James concluded that plastics can replace sand in concrete creating stronger and more durable concrete bricks, while providing a useful approach to recycling plastics.  James noted,  “This competition motivated me to do better next year.  I liked seeing what other people studied and learning what inspired them to do their projects.  I plan to do even better next year.  Next year, I think I will continue to study ways to reuse plastics.” 

 

Anthony Riola presented "Stretchin’ and Movin’", a project studying the benefits of physical therapy and red light therapy for arthritis, after a strong regional Kauai showing where he earned the Biological Science Award, 2nd Place Overall in the Junior Division at the Regional Science & Engineering Fair, and was named a Thermo Fisher Junior Innovative Challenge national nominee.

 

Anthony said, “ It was a fun experience.  I was very nervous when I saw the amount of competition there!  I learned that Kauai has only one region and other islands have several regions, meaning that Kauai has a lesser amount of competitors.  I think Kauai did pretty good!  I was happy to represent my school.  I’m going to try to make it to the state competition next year with an environmental study project.  I’m happy that my dad came with me to Oahu…he really helped and supported me. 

 

St. Theresa School congratulates Anthony, James, and Sophia for their outstanding research and for proudly representing the school at the state competition. Their participation highlights not only the talent and hard work of the learners but also the strength of the school’s science program. St. Theresa School continues to inspire young innovators, proving that even a small school can make a big impact on the state and even national stage.

 

(from Wendy Souza) I commend Shantel Santiago, Science Fair Coach, for her dedicated guidance and unwavering support of St. Theresa School learners at the school, district, state, and national levels. Through her mentorship, tireless preparation, and encouragement, she has empowered learners to develop strong research skills, confidence, and a lasting passion for inquiry. Known affectionately as “Kumu Shantel,” Mrs. Santiago earned Kauaʻi’s first middle school Teacher Recognition from the Hawaiʻi Optometric Association. Her leadership in guiding the science research program for the entire middle school at St. Theresa School, Kekaha, (from school to state to national levels) continues to uphold the school’s long-standing tradition of academic excellence.

 

Quote from Shantel:

“Our keiki carry the potential of our island into the future. Through science, they learn that their ideas matter and that they can make a difference not just here on Kauaʻi, but in the world. For me, it’s an unspoken responsibility to help shape that mindset—to guide our next generation to think boldly, stay curious, and believe in the impact they can have.”