By Jesika Henson

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With two first place wins at the Central Oahu District Science and Engineering Fair and three years of being in the top 12 at the state level, Senior Brandon Kinard will be moving on to compete in the 2015 International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) once again.

“Science fair is one of the more rewarding events you can do because it allows for personal growth while also motivating you to pursue what may very well end up as your college major (or) career,” explained Kinard. “(The) networking with professionals sets you significantly further ahead of anyone else who just sits at home and hopes to do well in their field, opposed to actually going out there and doing research (or) science fair.”

This year, Kinard went into the competition with the help of his mentor Gary McAuliffe to create a wheelchair system that would help those who are visually impaired operate independently. “The idea stemmed from curiosity and wanting to know if I could build a system which would allow for safe, independent travel for these individuals,” said Kinard. “And while I haven’t perfected the system by any means, I have gone through several iterations of circuits to be used within the wheelchair and various algorithms for obstacle detection and avoidance.” Kinard’s father, Randy Holmen, added, “I believe that the project as a whole got him the win.  It is (a) unique design that can assist those who are visually impaired.”

A crucial aspect of creating a science fair project is exercising independence and free thinking. “Other than helping him with some of the aspects of his presentation I haven’t had an active role in this project,” said Chemistry teacher Matthew Capps. “That is what makes (Kinard) so good at Science Fair – he can do independent work at a high level on his own.”

Science fair not only offers students a platform to showcase their unique projects, but also gives them opportunities to travel and learn from other people. “Making new friends from our delegation and from around the world is nice and being able to network with professionals in the field is extremely helpful when it comes to establishing yourself in the world,” explained Kinard, “Which is what ISEF is about: inspiring students to pursue their passion and change the world.”

Kinard is now preparing for ISEF, which will be held from May 10 to 15 in Pittsburgh, Pa.