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Go Clover Lopers!

Monday, July 7th, 2008

Molokai families traveled to Maui to participate in the annual parade that draws hundreds of spectators every year.

By Viola Wichman 

Yawhoo! Molokai’s 4-H Clover Lopers were out in numbers as 14 kids and 10 adults ventured to Maui to participate in the 43rd Annual Makawao Paniolo Parade. 

Our group's ages ranged from 5 to 16 years old. We marched in four lines with adult leaders bringing up the rear. 

This year marks the second time the Clover Lopers were able to participate in this wonderful experience (thanks to support from our community).Next year we’re going back – this time on horseback. Brian Kramer of Kula Kai Farm, our gracious host, has invited us back and will be providing our mounts, yeehaw.

What an exciting and educational time we had at Kula Kai from mucking out stalls to dummy roping lessons, to the best BBQ grinds, and the most breathtaking view of Maui. This was Hawaiian hospitality at it’s finest. Our Mahalo to Brian, Shawn, Yod and Jackie.

Students Get Glimpse of High Tech Future

Monday, July 7th, 2008

Super computers and top secret observatories visited.

 By Howard Selnick

You would not believe the amount of doors that were unlocked for our Molokai middle school team to participate in a three-day technical career program held on Maui for students throughout this school district. The Maui Economic Development Board created this program, in part to expose our students to job opportunities on Maui in the field of computer technology.

Our first day's activities that were held in the Maui High Tech Park in Kihei introduced our students to a panel of young adults now working in various companies located within this complex. These panelists, including a team from Akimeka LLC (which was started by a “Molokai boy”), shared their personal stories about working in this profession. They also invited our students to ask questions and answered them with very personal comments designed to help our students ease their way into this professional world.

The panelists all agreed that they had no idea they would be able to stay at home on Maui and work in such an interesting and exciting career.

We were taken on tours throughout the High Performance Computing Center in the Maui High Tech Park to see, first hand, some of the programs being run there, including one that tracks about 9,000 satellites and other pieces of space garbage every hour in real time, another that runs a detailed inventory of all medical resources throughout the world and a third that keeps track of injured U.S. military personnel.

The Maui High Performance Computing Center is the 11th most powerful computer system in the world. And it is within our reach as a place of employment.

Our last day on Maui provided us with extreme points of view. During a tour of a restricted area controlled by the Air Force at Haleakula, we saw a top secret cluster of observatories that are linked to various universities and U.S. military facilities throughout the world.

We also were able to pay respect to cultural integrity during this tour. We participated in a discussion that showed us the need for cultural respect no matter where we go. How do we respect and treat the "aina"? The military director explained that a $1.6-million facility was abandoned because an endangered Silversword plant was found growing next to the site. The facility, which was greatly needed to resurface one of the telescope’s multi-million-dollar, 8,000-pound mirrors, had to be relocated. In fact, the entire staff that works atop Haleakula must go through a cultural training program to become aware of Hawaiian protocol and the past problems faced by new workers as they arrive in Hawaii.

So we now come full circle to this activity. For it is the purpose of the Middle School Tech Career program to help eliminate cultural and economic problems.

Our student group has toured these facilities to experience what it would be like to work in the High Performance Computing lab and the observatory complex atop Haleakula. They are the next generation of specialists to work at this complex. And it is, in part, up to our Molokai community to support our students by opening this door for them.

Most of the people we met working on our tour had smiles on their faces. The average salary there is about $70,000. Our students have been there, and they now know what they can achieve given their efforts in studying are supported. This is the primary purpose of this activity, to show our students there are exciting, high-paying jobs here on the island that are waiting for them if they are willing to stop saying “I hate math,” “I hate language arts” and focus their attention.

The cost of our two-and-a-half-day tour on Maui was in the thousands of dollars. It is with great appreciation that we say Mahalo nui loa to the Maui Economic Development Board for planning, arranging and financing this program for our Maui district students.

Island Keiki Medal at State Competition

Friday, June 27th, 2008

Wrestlers debut at the Aloha State Games.

By Uncle Pono

Smile’n with Freestyli’n when our wrestlers all became medalist at this year’s Aloha State Games.  On June 21, 2008, five of our young wrestlers not including the three MHS competitors, made way to Radford High School Gym in Honolulu to compete against Hawaii’s best in freestyle wrestling.  This is not the normal folk style wrestling performed throughout the high school season. Freestyle is only introduced in high school, but heavily competed at the college and Olympic level.  What an exposure for our children! 

Who do you find at off season competitions?  Champions!  All the familiar faces we’ve seen at this event were those who took home the Gold at the 2008 AAU Hawaii Wrestling Championships held on Maui.  Some of these competitors practice year round and earned their spot as a National Wrestling Champion.  This is most definitely a clue.
With over a hundred wrestlers at this once a year event, we were prepared to face off against elite competitors.  After the completion of our state tournament our wrestlers practiced everyday in preparation.

Throughout the competition, our four Molokai families filled the gym with excitement.
With cheers, hugs, tears and laughter, our wrestlers placed as follows;

Ichiro Asano,            Division:  Bantam, weight class: 42.4 lbs. – 47.3 lbs.  Silver Medalist
Zeff Dudoit,              Division:  Bantam, weight class: 47.4 lbs. – 54.9 lbs.  Silver Medalist
Jess Dudoit,               Division:  Bantam, weight class: 47.4 lbs. – 54.9 lbs.  Bronze Medalist
Chevy Augustiro       Division:  Bantam, weight class: 55.0 lbs. – 58.9 lbs.  Bronze Medalist
Kaila’oe Cabanting   Division:  Novice, weight class: 69.4 lbs. – 75.9 lbs.  Silver Medalist

Congratulations to all our wrestlers.  It’s because of your dedication, hard work, and desire day in and day out, you’ve earned your spot at the top.  Stick to practicing just a little everyday and you will all be Gold Medalist in a matter of time.

Special thanks to all the coaches, teammates, and parents who helped prepare our wrestlers for this event.  A “Super Shaka” to Coach Randy Manley for providing access to the opportunity for all in becoming an awesome wrestler.

`Opio Celebrate Peace

Thursday, June 26th, 2008

Martin Luther King Peace Poem Contest.

This is the second year of participation by Molokai Middle School students in the Dr. Martin Luthor King Poetry Contest on Maui. It allowed nine of our students the adventure of traveling to Maui. To enter this contest each student wrote an original poem dealing with peace.  There were first and second place winners in each grade level group.

In the Tavares center in Pukalani, Maui, there were a few hundred audience members including students, teachers, parents and guests.  Each school’s winners lined up beside a large raised stage awaiting their turn to read. The students’ name and school called each poet to center stage. 

There was nervousness; some of our team even said they would not read. Wouldn’t you be nervous to read your personal thoughts aloud to a very large group of strangers?  Yet at the moment that counted, every Molokai student stood up and read their poem. Each was received by applause from listeners who really appreciated their courage and poetry.  

This type of public speaking effort is priceless.  Our students now know they are more than winners - they are veterans.  Mayor Tavares gave each student a certificate of merit as they left the stage.

While waiting for the ferry to take us home, the students received a lot of positive support. Common sentiment during this discussion was that our students will be better prepared to meet their future professional responsibilities because of this and other public speaking activities.

We would like to congratulate Krysta Bocoboc, Justina Sharpe, Healani Mawae-Mollena, Abigail Adachi, James Duffy, Anuhea Tengan, Ka’iulani Laemoa, Fetuu Tilini and Susan Smith.

On behalf of Molokai Middle School we thank you for allowing our school to be part of the Martin Luther King
Peace poem contest.  We were inspired by the different poems read aloud at the awards assembly. 

Thank you Mayor Tavares; through her office staff, she graciously provided our students the cost of the ferry service to Maui. Thank you Mr. Zukeran for your efforts in promoting this activity and for lining up travel and working with the mayor’s office.

Mahalo,
Molokai Intermediate School.

La Hemo Kula 2008

Wednesday, June 25th, 2008