The top 12 finalists were chosen for the 29th annual Caring for the Kenai competition.

This year over 400 students applied for the competition, which is open to all students within the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District.

Applicants were asked to answer the contest’s prompt of “What can I do, invent, or create to better care for the environment on the Kenai Peninsula, or to help improve the area’s preparedness for a natural disaster?”

The 12 students were chosen by eight community judges on March 6 at an all-day event at the Kenai River Center.

One of the eight judges is former Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent Dr. Donna Peterson, who said she was excited by the new ideas and the students’ incorporation of technology.

“I come to something like this today and say, ‘Wow. We’ve got great kids, great teachers, and great schools.’ Let’s keep it happening,” Peterson said in a press release. “The real world part is that you’re going to get a job because of the way you speak, the way you influence others, the way you show your knowledge; that’s what this is all about. The idea that we can sit here after many, many years and still be wowed by new ideas, that’s amazing. That’s great. Good teaching.”

Students chosen in the top 12 represent Cook Inlet Academy, Kenai Central High, Homer High, Ninilchik School, Seward High, Soldotna Prep and one home-schooled student.

The students’ names have not been released. The project idea names are Worms are Sexy; Promote our Pollinators; R.I.S.E. U.P; The Trails Initiative; Beach Clean Up with Magnetic Sweeper; Nice Ice Safety; Solution for Pollution; Nutrient Runoff; Pages for Young Minds; Floods, Flying and Fun; Plastics Reimagined and Coloring on the Kenai.

The represented schools will all receive a share of $20,000 in cash awards, according to the press release.

The final 12 will present their ideas to the community at the Caring for the Kenai oral presentations, which will be held at 6 p.m. on April 18, at the Kenai Central High School Little Theater. Winners of the contest will be announced that evening.