The results of the 2024 Edition of the Maunakea Coin Contest are in!
The coin contest was open to all Hawaiʻi Island students in grades K to 12, including homeschoolers. Students were asked to draw a design that can go on a coin. The drawing had to represent Maunakea and include different aspects of this majestic mountain: its natural resources, astronomy, and Hawaiian culture.
A total of 554 entries were received and divided into grades K-4 (311 entries), 5-8 (221 entries), and 9-12 (22 entries) categories. Four judges selected a First, Second, and Third place winner for each grade category. The judges used their areas of expertise to make their selections. They also selected five creative designs for a "Special Mentions" award.
The four judges were: Leilehua Yuen (Native Hawaiian Cultural Practitioner) is an expert in Hawaiian and local culture, M.S. Justin Yeh (Resource Manager at the Center for Maunakea Stewardship, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo) is an expert in the natural resources of Maunakea, Leinani Lozi (Hawaiʻi Education & Engagement Manager at Gemini Observatory/NSF NOIR Lab) and Kumiko Usuda-Sato (Public Outreach Specialist at Subaru Telescope) are experts in astronomy.
The nine category winners' designs were sent to our Grand Judge, Dr. Julien Lozi, Senior SCExAO Scientist at Subaru Telescope. He is an astronomer and also an expert in origami and other paper arts. Without knowing any information on students, schools, or the decisions of the first four judges, Dr. Lozi was asked to select 3 overall winners. The first-place winner whose design was made into this year’s Maunakea Coin is Megan Pierpont, who is in 10th grade at Ka‘ū High & Pāhala Elementary School. Congratulations, Megan, and to all of our other winners listed below. We would also like to extend a special mahalo to the following four schools who all had over 50 entries for the coin contest: E.B. DeSilva Elementary School (129 entries), Kea‘au Elementary School (126 entries), Christian Liberty Academy 83 entries), and Waiakeawaena Elementary School (62 entries).
All coin contest winners were celebrated in an award ceremony at the annual Hilo AstroDay at Prince Kūhio Plaza Mall where they received various prizes from the Maunakea Observatories and our many other coin contest collaborators and sponsors including: the Maunakea Astronomy Outreach Committee (MKAOC), KTA Super Stores, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i, The Galaxy Garden/Paleaku Gardens Peace Sanctuary, East Hawai‘i Cultural Center, the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, the UH Institute for Astronomy, and the Onizuka Space Science Program. The contest committee members are: Kumiko Usuda-Sato (Subaru Telescope), Leinani Lozi (Gemini Observatory/NSF NOIRLab), Nadine Manset (Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope), and Carolyn Kaichi (University of Hawai‘i Institute for Astronomy).
The winning designs are the following:
The following comments on coin designs are a compilation of all of the judges’ submitted comments.
Judges’ comments for Gus Deskaheh:
The night sky, observatories, and Hawaiian species on Maunakea are well-balanced. The inclusion of multiple Native Hawaiian species is excellent.
Judges’ comments for Ryne Shimooka:
Details of the mountain are well-depicted. Components like celestial bodies, natural resources, and dancing petroglyphs jointly create a joyful design.
Judges’ comments for Sydney Maple:
The simple artwork depicts a peaceful Hawaiian night. Some constellations drawn on the Moon are interesting.
Judges’ comments for Tayton Rabara-mata:
Gorgeous! Maunakea, depicted as Poliahu with the dark and starry skies above her is a beautiful design and is so well done. Naupaka (and lehua?) flowers are nicely added.
Judges’ comments for Hulali Foltz:
The details on the Moon and original constellations are unique. The depiction of the ʻōhiʻa lehua tree and Polynesian-style patterns on the slope of Maunakea is lovely.
Judges’ comments for Wailea Fitzgerald:
The creative and simple but detailed "mauka to makai" (the mountain to the sea) style design. The constellations over Maunakea are correctly depicted.
Judges’ comments for Megan Pierpont:
It is so rare to see Hāloa, the kalo (also called taro, a cultivated plant) and older brother to all Kānaka featured in these coin contest designs! But the way in which Hāloa is present here at the foot of Maunakea with an iʻiwi bird watching over him is beautiful and powerful. The depiction of Hāloa and the connectivity to the cultivation was superb!
Judges’ comments for Krizza Veniee Marcelo:
Many designs depict Maunakea from below; this view is a very familiar sight for anyone who has been to the summit. The realness of the scene is extraordinary.
Judges’ comments for Ros Haleyah Mari Asuncion Ganot:
Gorgeous art! The collage and the overall depiction of nēnē (Hawaiian goose), wa‘a (canoe), and observatories are exceptional. Both way finders in a traditional canoe and scientists at observatories are exploring the stars.
Judges’ comments for Aria Christensen:
Three Hawaiian goddesses (Poliahu, Pele, and Namaka) are lovely incorporated. The petroglyph-style people in Wao Kanaka (region where people live) is also unique!
Judges’ comments for Grant Madamba:
The depiction of the ocean, land, and sky reminds us of an a hupua‘a (land division). Incorporating more appropriate native species in Maunakea would be great.
Judges’ comments for Christian Gio Acosta:
Beautiful, clean lines and a unique design! The goddess (or Hula dancer?) watches Maunakea and another Moon reflected in the Moon.
Judges’ comments for Tatyahna Kaupu-Embrey:
The incorporation of so many native species was great. The Palila bird and the Wekiu bug are wildlife found only on Maunakea.
Judges’ comments for John Lewis Maneja:
The high contrast of this design including deep space objects like a galaxy and “Pōwehi” (black hole shadow) is exceptional. Two observatories emit lasers to get sharp images.
Grand Judges’ comments for Megan Pierpont:
What a beautiful and unique design! The lines are precise and delicate, and all the elements complement each other. We are reminded of the story of Hāloa, the baby of Wākea, the Sky Father, and Hoʻohōkūkalani, the goddess who set the stars in heaven. The baby, sadly a stillborn, was buried and became the first kalo, the staple food of Hawaiians. Over the kalo field, we can see a beautiful hibiscus flower, and an ʻiʻiwi. We can imagine how colorful everything is! Then Maunakea is well represented, very majestic, towering the whole island. I am reminded of the ʻŌlelo Noʻeau: Maunakea, kuahiwi kū haʻo i ka mālie (Maunakea, standing alone in the calm). Finally, we have a beautiful starry night, with two well-known constellations: ʻIwakeliʻi (the ʻIwa bird or Cassiopeia) and Kamakaunuiamāui (Maui’s fish hook or Scorpius). Great drawing!
Grand Judges’ comments for Ros Haleyah Mari Asuncion Ganot:
The choice was so hard, this design would look so great on a coin! I love the strong contrasting lines, the mix of thin lines and dark areas, and the overall composition. The nēnē is to me the highlight here, it is beautifully done! I love nēnē so I might be biased… the hilo-style lei in the front and the waʻa in the back reminds me of the great Polynesian navigator Hilo, riding the waves to travel between islands. Maunakea is standing majestic in the background, with astronomers looking at the stars! Very well done!
Grand Judges’ comments for Tayton Rabara-mata:
This design is very beautiful, with lots of native flora in the foreground, especially the ʻōhiʻa lehua. I am transported to the forests of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park! We gaze at Maunakea, represented beautifully with a goddess, maybe Poliʻahu? She is looking at a beautiful and dark starry night with several constellations like Ka Heihei o nā keiki (Orion) or Hānaiakamalama (the Southern Cross). Mahina the Moon is even peaking out at the top. Beautifully done!