Staff report

Two Kenai Peninsula students earned awards this week as they garnered top prizes in the International Future Problem Solvers competition.

Jeremy Sobocinski of Sterling Elementary School won first place in the junior division of the international competition with his piece, "The Zoo of Emotion."

Meanwhile, Tess Caswell of Soldotna High School placed fourth in the senior division of the competition with her piece, "Home Away from Home."

Both Sobocinski and Caswell placed first in their divisions at the state championship earlier this month. Other Kenai Peninsula students also made a strong showing at the statewide competition. The following are peninsula winners from the statewide competition:

Team competition

Junior: Hannah Romberg, Blaine Carver, Lauren Rigby and Brett Vadla, of Redoubt Elementary, first; and Alex Kauffman, Will McDermid, Dillon Ball and Logan Haralson, Aurora Borealis Charter School, second.

Intermediate: Lauren Senette, Amy Hundertmark, Lydia Ames and Kelsey Cain, Soldotna High, first; and Brad Deneson, Hannah Watkins, Mercedes Hughes and Tee Ashley Wooley, Kenai Central High, third.

Senior: Tatiana Butler, Karena Lorenzo, Laura Rooper and Erica Thye, Nikiski High, second; and Kaitlin Vadla, Sarah Youngren, Ali Wykis and Jon Gomulak, SoHi, third.

Action plan presentation

Junior: Holly Ganser, Emily Draper, Nicole Hewitt and Tarra Swanson, Seward Elementary, first; Alex Kauffman, Will McDermid, Dillon Ball and Logan Haralson, Aurora Borealis, second; and Hannah Romberg, Blaine Carver, Lauren Rigby and Brett Vadla, Redoubt Elementary, third.

Intermediate: Lydia Ames, Amy Hundertmark, Lauren Senette and Kelsey Cain, SoHi, first; Sierra Ball, Eliza Chadwick, Marquee Lucas and Maya Chay, Aurora Borealis, second; and Brad Deneson, Hannah Watkins, Mercedes Hughes and Tee Ashley Wooley, KCHS, third.

Senior: Kurt Romberg, Sara Karella and Sarah Shoemaker, SoHi, second; and Kaitlin Vadla, Sarah Youngren, Ali Wykis and Jon Gomulak, SoHi, third.

Scenarios

Junior: Jeremy Sobocinski, Sterling Elementary, "The Zoo of Emotion," first; Jasmine Woodland, Kalifornsky Beach Elementary, "Smart Clothes," second; and Linnea Powers, Soldotna Elementary, "The Test," third.

Intermediate: Amelia Kellar, Moose Pass Elementary, "We Were Humans Right?", first; Quinn Stoops, Kenai Middle, "Big Bad Bully," second; and Tristin Rutherford, Nikiski Middle, "Burning Error," third.

Senior: Tess Caswell, SoHi, "Home Away From Home," first; Shelah Moreno-Jones, KCHS, "No Sweat," second; and Becky Kilfoyle, Skyview High, "Mission Europa," third.

The scenario writing portion of the international competition already took place. Other events, which must be conducted live, will take place during the international competition June 3 to 6 in Lexington, Ky.