By April-Joy McCann

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This year, the second annual Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Institutional Awards Banquet was held at the Hawaii Convention Center on April 9.  MHS won first place maintaining the title of High School State champions for STEM. With over 44 STEM activities throughout the state, judging was based on a school’s achievements and overall participation in STEM activities such as Career Technology Education (CTE), FIRST Lego League, Hawaii Science Bowl, Science Olympiad, Science fair, Math Counts (or Math League), Pacific Symposium for Science and Sustainability, VEX Robotics and Hawaii Robo Fest. Students and teachers involved in any STEM related fields were invited to attend the banquet, such as those who will be attending the International Science and Engineering Fair (photographed). Henk Rogers, Founder and Chairman of Blue Planet, was the keynote speaker of the night and spoke on how he went into a career that he loved, not one that would just make him money. “Passion, passion, passion. That’s what matters most,” he said.  He encouraged students to do the same.