The 33rd Caring for the Kenai was held at Kenai Central High School on Thursday, April 20th and Cook Inlet Academy (CIA) Sophomore Paxton McKnight impressed the judges with an inexpensive water filtration system he made from buckets.
“Life Bucket can filter large quantities of water in an emergency situation at about a third of the cost of what is on the market today,” explained McKnight, “I hope to manufacture my Life Bucket in the future to meet the needs of the local community and maybe earn some money for college.”
McKnight takes home a $1,600 cash award for his proposal.
Soldotna High Emerson Kapp earned second place and $1,100 dollars with her Kenai Peninsula Maze Board that takes the player through the life cycle of a salmon which she hopes to have available at parks to educate visitors. “I hope to have it on display at the Kenai River Festival this summer,” said Kapp.
Lauren Matson returned to the CFK finals for the second year in a row with her plan to use poetry and storytelling to inspire appreciation of the environment on the Kenai Peninsula. Matson took 3rd place honors this time around and claims a cash award of $900.
In 4th place and winning $750 dollars was the team of Grace Henry and Hope Hillyer from CIA. The team plans to create a Green Salmon Business Award. “We plan on partnering with the Chambers of Commerce to recognize local businesses for their environmental consciousness. We’ll have four categories: Recycling, Energy conservation and Support of local environmental non-profits,” said Hope. “We’ve always been inspired by what local businesses do for our community and we felt they should have some special recognition for what they contribute to help the environment,” added Grace.
Lucy Bamford of Seward High is creating a picture book for children that will help them identify edible and non-edible plants when they are foraging in the woods. Her idea won her 5th place honors and a check for $650.
And in 6th Place winning the $550 dollar cash award with her idea for full spectrum lighting in our schools was Kavindra Johnson.
In addition to the $8,000 in cash awards for the finalists, this year $20,000 will be divided among the classrooms of the finalists thanks to the CFK signature sponsor Marathon Petroleum
Corporation and the CFK community partners Kenai River Raven Lodge, Peninsula Community Health Services, Sweeney’s Clothing, Eyewear Express, Hilcorp, ConocoPhillips, Kenai River
Sportfishing Association, Homer Electric Association and KSRM Radio Group.
High schools using CFK as part of state standards curriculum this year were: Soldotna, Cook Inlet Academy, Homer High, Seward High Nikiski Middle High School and Connections home school students. Students can enter every year of their high school career, whether the contest is assigned in class or not. Each school receives $750 for their participation and the remainder of the $20,000 is allocated according to how the school’s students ranked in the CFK competition.
Other finalists that earned $400 each for making it to the final 12 out of all the entries submitted were:
- Nova Paulk- SoHi-for her idea to save the King Salmon
- Sophia Jedlicki– SoHi – for her Seed Bomb project
- Liam Bartholomew–CIA-with his Stuck on CFK stickers
- Kiernan Lapp-SoHi- School gardens & composting
- McKenna Black-Homer High- on Ground Water Contamination Awareness
- Matthew Schilling- CIA-with Minute Men volunteers to help senior citizens
“CFK is an opportunity for Peninsula students to have a real-world experience. The creativity and resiliency of our community and our youth over the years never ceases to amaze me.” saidMerrill Sikorski CFK creator. Wednesday May 3rd , the top 12 CFK Finalists and their teachers will be honored at a joint Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Soldotna Regional Sports Center where they will receive their cash awards. The meeting will be open to the public.”
This year’s panel of judges included KPB Borough Mayor Peter Micciche, Clayton Holland, KPBSD Superintendent, Bruce Jackman, Marathon Petroleum Corporation Kenai Refinery manager, Ben Wright, PCHS CEO, Brad Janorschke, HEA general manager, Pegge Erkeneff, Kenai River Raven Lodge and Abby Youngberg, 2022 CFK 1st Place Winner).
