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An Earthy Tribute

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

An Earthy Tribute

and I said, ‘I love dirt!’” she said.

She began her earthy endeavors with a series of magnets. Tice stained small pieces of wood with dirt and painted scenes of the island on pieces of watercolor paper. The magnets are also on sale at Kalele Bookstore. Owner Teri Waros said they are selling “like hotcakes.”

Waros said Tice’s work has attracted a lot of attention from customers.

“People think it’s actually a photograph,” she said of the sugar mill painting. “They just can’t believe it.”

Tice said she plans to continue the series, making art out of the island – literally.

“This place is so ancient and spiritual,” she said. “When I’m using that dirt, it’s a part of Molokai.”

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Catch and Release

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

Catch and Release

Among the captured birds was AAV, a nasty Coot the girls nicknamed Angry-and-Violent, and to measure it they must endure nips and scratches. But they said working with the birds is worth the abuse. Moriah wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up and the banding gives her valuable hands-on experience with wildlife.

Besides, she laughed, “Not all of them are vicious like that.”

Afterward, Lily carried the bird, flapping wings and all, to the pond’s edge. She loosened her grip and it took off into the water, thankful for its release. If it understood what all the poking and prodding was doing for its kind, it would probably be thankful for that too.

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Lights, Camera, Aloha!

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

Lights, Camera, Aloha!

As the sun went down on Saturday, the lights went up on the silver screen at the seventh annual Molokai Film Festival.

Nearly 200 people came out for the festival at Hotel Molokai, organized by MauiFEST Hawaii. It hosts a similar event on Lanai, and organizers said they are meant to bring movie- watching to communities without access to theaters.

“It’s a great way to bring high quality entertainment, fun and aloha,” said Ken Martinez Burgmaier, a filmmaker with MauiFEST Hawaii.

In years past, Molokai filmmakers were featured at the lineup, but this year none submitted films. The Friendly Isle was not missing from the screen, however, as Burgmaier premiered two films on Saturday festival that were filmed on Molokai – “Journey to Kalaupapa” and “Massacre at Kaupoa Beach,” which showed community reaction to the destruction of a cultural site.

The festival is not just about the films. During the day, musicians and cultural performers entertained the crowd. Brother Noland – who preformed with his brother Tony C for the first time in nearly 15 years -- had the crowd Hi! Hello!-ing along.

Calvin Hoe held a workshop on making and playing the nose flute. He later preformed with instruments made on-site and gave a few away to lucky keiki and visitors.

“It’s important to keep the form of story telling alive,” Hoe said. “Ingenious people need access to tell our stories.”

In previous years the festival was held at the ballpark in Kaunakakai and Coffees of Hawaii. Organizers said they were excited about the move to Hotel Molokai.
   
“We’ve wanted to have it here before – it’s so intimate, and the stage is all set up for live music,” Dave Lower said.

MauiFEST will be in Lanai City next weekend and moves to Hana in October.  

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Stan the Man

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Stan the Man

While Molokai High School freshmen have a lot of new faces to learn, this year the whole school met the new guy in charge.

Veteran educator Stanford Hao made it through a sea of applicants to take over as principal of the high school this year. His appointment came as no surprise given his extensive educational background and previous experience with Molokai High School (MHS).

In 1985, he began his teaching career at Molokai High and Intermediate School as a social studies teacher. In addition, Hao served as the adult school principal for two years and taught at Ka Papa Honua O Keawanui, a Kamehameha Schools alternative learning center, located on Molokai’s east end. Returning from the Big Island, Hao plans to build on the success of past principals and restore the importance of academics in his new role.



“Our community is passionate about athletics,” Hao said. “We need to have the same type of passion about academics.”

Hao said he wants to make parents and students aware of the validity of the Hawaii State Assessment exams and why they are taken every year. Data showed that MHS did not meet state benchmarks due to poor assessment scores last school year. Hao said he has already shared this data with students in their opening assembly and at the parent and student athlete meeting held this past week.

“I want our parents to understand that our children should be students first and athletes second,” he stressed. “If showing achievement data at halftime is a way to inform our community and get their assistance and support, then that’s what we’ll do.”

Among his goals for the school, Hao would like to re-establish an agriculture program. Hao said he plans to work with higher education and local agriculture businesses to provide MHS students with knowledge in agriculture as well as current techniques in hydroponics and aquaponics.

“We’re the Molokai High School Farmers,” he said. “We’re the Farmers of land and sea, but we currently don’t have an agriculture program.”

Hao said he hopes to give MHS students the opportunity to learn “agribusiness” so future farmers can stay on Molokai and keep the revenue within the state.

“Molokai will be the bread basket to the state of Hawaii,” he added.

Reconnected
Hao has been a product of the Hawaii Public School system since his teen years. After graduating from Aiea High School on Oahu, Hao attended Leeward Community College and University of Hawaii – Manoa. Following his teaching stints on Molokai, Hao headed for the mainland where he taught in California and Utah, as well as coached wrestling and a state championship football team.

He returned some years later to the Big Island, where he donned multiple hats in the education system including teacher, sports coach, vice principal and principal.

“I believe my professional experiences abroad have provided me with a vision that is broad, but can be accommodating to the community’s desire to protect the Molokai lifestyle,” he said.

While his experiences have guided him all over the nation, Hao said he is excited to be back where he first started.

“I feel humbled and blessed to have the opportunity to lead Molokai High at this time,” he said.

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iPlayers

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

iPlayers

said, ‘Grams, you can’t be caring that around!’” Hoe recalled.

The ease of the iPad means the band can spend more time on the music and less time searching for the right piece of paper.

“Before, we’d lose five minutes of the performance monkeying around for the music,” said guitarist George Benda.

The iPads aren’t the only way the group has gone high tech. Sound Coordinator Bill Perdue set up a Facebook account (or, as Hoe called it, “Facespace”) so friends and family around the country can keep up with Na Ohana Hoaloha.

Hoe said their success with the iPads proves you’re never too old to learn new tricks.

“Can the old and the new, high tech blend together? Yes, we can!” she said.

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Take a Bow

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Take a Bow

The state Board of Education honored six teachers, parents and volunteers for their contributions to Molokai schools at its meeting on-island last Thursday.

Heidi Jenkins, a teacher at Kaunakakai Elementary, and her husband, Greg, were honored for their work organizing the Go Clean Carbon Clean light bulb exchange program, along with Francois Rogers of the Blue Planet Foundation, which sponsored the program. Not only did the program swap 36,000 bulbs for energy-efficient compact florescent light bulbs, it taught students the importance of conservation.

Heidi Jenkins thanked everyone who helped with the effort, saying “This is one project that truly everyone on Molokai got involved with.”

Rose Yamada, who has worked at nearly all of the island’s schools in her long career as a teacher, educational specialist and principal, was also honored for her contributions, as was Kimberly Svetin, a parent of two boys at Kaunakakai Elementary whom the board called a “tireless volunteer.” Svetin, president of Molokai Drugs, helps with fundraising, grant writing and organizing field trips to expose kids to science, technology and engineering, including visits to the pharmacy.

Huli Au Ola Area Health Education Center was also recognized for its work with Molokai students. The program exposes them to health education and career opportunities. Executive Director Rosie Davis said the six year-old program is starting to see former students entering health fields.

“It’s working,” she said. “If we focus on our keiki, it can happen.”

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Maunaloa’s Last Lifeline

Monday, August 9th, 2010

Having faced a stream of adversity the past couple years, Maunaloa community members are digging in their heels to try to save their most important remaining asset – their school.

In lieu of shutting down Maunaloa Elementary School entirely, Department of Education Interim Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi recommended the school’s administration be consolidated with Kaunakakai School in an effort to cut down Hawaii’s education budget. Last year, Maunaloa was identified by the state as one of four schools eligible for consolidation and is currently being evaluated by the Board of Education (BOE).

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Molokai Veterans Go to Court

Monday, August 9th, 2010

By Catherine Cluett, Special to the Dispatch

The Molokai Veterans Caring for Veterans are taking their building permit woes to court. After trying to build a veterans center for nearly four years, the group decided if an unconditional building permit had not been given by last Friday, they would pursue a lawsuit against the county in federal court. Veterans Commander Larry Helm said no word had been received from county officials, and the suit would be filed sometime this week.

“They give us no alternative; enough is enough,” said Helm. “How much can you get slapped in the face and turn the other cheek?”

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New book challenges U.S. right to Hawaiian Islands

Sunday, August 8th, 2010

Reader Contributed

By Keahi Felix

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Same Face, New School

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

Same Face, New School

Denise Kelly has seen plenty of new beginnings. After floating around as principal of multiple schools in the last nine years, she has begun a new journey as acting principal of Molokai Middle School (MMS).

Ending last school year in leadership limbo, MMS was able to snag Kelly, former acting principal of Molokai High School, as an interim principal until a new one is hired. Former MMS Principal Gary Zukeran, who started in 2004, retired at the end of the 2009-10 school year.

scores last year,” she said. “I’d like to see that continue.”

While there wasn’t much time for transition or for Kelly to learn about the school, she said one of the concerns she is aware of, and would like to address, is the lack of communication between staff and families.

“It’s important for parents to know how their students are progressing and information about the school in general,” Kelly said. “I want to make sure we remain vigilant with our communication.”

Kelly’s experience with Molokai schools extends back to 2001, when she moved to the Friendly Isle from Phoenix, Ariz. For two years, Kelly taught at Kilohana Elementary, which she later served as acting principal. She has also worked as a District Educational Specialist, overseeing special education at Molokai and Lanai schools, before transitioning into the role of acting principal at MHS for one year. After being replaced by Stanford Ha`o this year, Kelly was able to slide into the vacant spot at MMS.

“I’m glad I’ve been able to stay,” she said. “I really do enjoy working for this community.”

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