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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, December 28, 2003

Pair scores national honor with Web site on surfing

By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer

KANE'OHE — Carlie Salomons and Chantal Aquino aren't surfers but they've created a national award-winning Web site on the subject.

Check out Wipe Out!

Recently named the "Best of Contest" and given a gold medal for "Site from a New Program" in the TRIO ThinkQuest Competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education.

View it at: www.triothinkquest.org.

The girls had some extra motivation, because last year they entered the competition but were unable to complete it before the contest deadline.

The high school seniors worked on the project as part of a six-week Upward Bound program during the summer at Windward Community College where they also had to complete other courses and projects during the same time frame.

Aquino, a Myron B. Thompson Academy student, said they began the project during the Upward Bound program in summer 2002, but weren't able to complete it. During the summer they vowed to finish on time, setting deadlines and spending free time and weekends to meet their goal.

"In the sixth week we didn't know if we would finish," Aquino said. "We just buckled down and did it."

Salomons, who learned to build Web sites on her own, did most of the building, Aquino said, adding that she did the research and writing. But she said the project took her level of computer skills from the basics to a more advanced level.

"I'm pretty confident I could do one now because of how ours turned out," she said.

The time constraints, unlimited possibilities for the Web pages and rules added to the stress of building the site, said Salomons, a Kahuku High School student.

Salomons said winning was a surprise that she found hard to believe at first. The process, like so much of her experience in the Upward Bound program, was fun, she said.

"You're learning but you're also having fun so it doesn't feel all stressed," Salomons said. "You're just learning in a fun way."

The site includes an overview of the local surf scene with history, popular surf spots, surfing tips, interviews and games.

Upward Bound is a federally financed program for high school students who come from low-income families or households in which neither parent has earned a bachelor's degree.

The program provides academic enrichment activities to prepare students for postsecondary education. During the summer, students are involved in a six-week college residential experience that includes courses and projects ranging from computer technology to economics, English and Hawaiian culture. Salomons and Aquino have been a part of WCC's Upward Bound program since their sophomore year.

Michelle Hite, the girls' Windward Community College coach, said she was confident that they would win because the girls followed the required standards, including how the site should look, that it could be accessed from a Mac as well as a PC, that it wasn't plagiarized and releases were obtained for copyright materials.

"The students did a terrific job of meticulously researching and creating an original design with their own images and video," Hite said.

Missing from the site is the exact location of the each surf spot mentioned. Aquino said that was done to preserve the areas and avoid overpopulation at the surf spots.

"I do have a lot of surfer friends who don't really appreciate crowded beaches and water that tastes like sunblock," Aquino said.

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com. or 234-5266.