Author Archives: Colleen Uechi

Coaches, Athletes Honored at Banquet

Wednesday, May 27th, 2015

Coaches, Athletes Honored at Banquet

 

Another sports season, full of buzzer beaters, towering touchdowns and sizzling spikes, has come to an end at Molokai High School. Last week at Molokai’s athletic banquet, the school celebrated the 187 student athletes and nearly 50 coaches who participated in 16 different sports this season.

Every athlete in attendance got a recognition certificate and a moment on stage in the banquet’s first-ever Parade of Athletes. Coaches, many of whom juggled other jobs off the field, were honored with lei and greeted by every athlete.

“Sports is everything,” said junior wrestler Cendall Manley. “… It’s more than just being involved, it’s the family aspect.…

Molokai CORAL News Release

Friday, May 22nd, 2015

Summer Education Opportunity

Still looking for something for your child to do this summer? Molokai CORAL offers a free summer program for grades Kindergarten through 12th that runs from June 9 to July 10. Molokai CORAL, which stands for Creating Opportunities for Rigorous Academic Learning, seeks to develop high quality education programs that increase the academic achievement and learning readiness in reading, science, technology, engineering, math, and improves student knowledge of Native Hawaiian culture and language. This program is possible through the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools funded by the United States Department of Education Native Hawaiian Education Act and sponsored by Aloha Productions,  LLC,  in  partnership with Molokai High School.…

Kualapu`u School Students Planting Seeds of Peace

Friday, May 22nd, 2015

Kualapu`u School Students Planting Seeds of Peace

Community Contributed

By Greta Martinez, Kualapu`u School Librarian

January and February are months that highlight the theme of peace for two reasons:

Makahiki Games and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  During this time, in the Kualapu`u School library, students in Kindergarten through sixth grade learn the art of writing peace poems. 

This year, all the poems were submitted to the statewide 16th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Poem Contest, organized by the International Peace Poem Project in Maui. In Maui County, 22 Kualapu`u School students were proud winners of first and second prizes and were invited by Mayor Alan Arakawa and his wife Anne Arakawa to receive their awards at the awards ceremony on Maui.…

Have you seen the `A`O?

Friday, May 22nd, 2015

Have you seen the `A`O?

Community Contributed

By Arleone Dibben-Young

Recent observations of the endangered `A`O on Molokai suggest that this endangered species probably nests in remote areas on Molokai. Once known to nest on the steep slopes of the north shore and fern-covered forested areas, since 1906, this seabird has only been heard or seen in 1979, 1988, 1995 and 2009, with a single individual found grounded at One Ali`i Park three times between 2014 and 2015.  The `A`O or Hawaiian shearwater (Newell’s shearwater, Puffinus auricularis newelli), is a small black and white seabird measuring about a foot in length and with a wing span of almost three feet.…

Albizzia, Friend or Foe

Friday, May 22nd, 2015

Community Contributed

By Glenn I. Teves, UH CTAHR County Extension Agent

The first introduction of plants to Hawaii started with the arrival of Polynesians, who brought important food and utility plants to their new home. I remember noted Hawaiian botanist Isabella Abbott calling kukui an invasive species because it displaced many natives in valleys and mountainsides.

Over the last 240 years, thousands of plant species were introduced to create new economic opportunities as a western capitalist system replaced an ancient self-sufficient system. Today, most of the vegetation found below 2,000 feet, with the exception of a few isolated coastal systems, is introduced.…

Hula in Germany

Friday, May 22nd, 2015

Hula in Germany

Community Contributed

By Patricia Waiehu Hammond

When I was invited to Bavaria, Germany, to share hula and the aloha spirit, I was really shocked! As I prepared for the trip over this past year, I was instructed by my own Kumu Hula, Pomaikai Gaui, as well as  Molokai’s  own beloved and oldest living Kumu Hula, Anake Kauila Reyes, on what and how I was to share while abroad. After receiving their blessing and specific instructions, I embarked on a quest to learn hula auana (again) being that my past hula experience and passion was for hula kahiko.

Back in the 90s, I participated in the largest group to ever dance hula at the same time to the same song, “Waikiki.” …

OHA Awards $7.4M To 27 Projects

Friday, May 22nd, 2015

OHA News Release

The Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiians Affairs voted to award $7.4 million in grants to 27 community-based projects to improve conditions for Native Hawaiians. Almost 4,400 Native Hawaiians are expected to directly benefit from the projects addressing OHA priorities such as battling obesity, improving middle and high school test scores and increasing housing stability.

In addition, thousands more are expected to indirectly benefit from projects to perpetuate the Hawaiian culture and to manage Hawaiian resources sustainably. The grants will fund OHA priorities over a two-year period beginning July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2017. The 27 grantees were selected from 149 proposals that were submitted to OHA.…

Former Molokai Student Pursues a Doctorate

Friday, May 22nd, 2015

Kanekoa Crabbe of Ho`olehua became one of six individuals admitted to the UH-Manoa Communication and Information Science (CIS) Ph.D. program.  This interdisciplinary program encompasses various fields of study such as communication, information technology, library and computer science.  Comprised of 27 students from around the world, the CIS program’s most notable alumni known locally are David Lassner; President of UH-Manoa and Erika Larco; Chancellor of Honolulu Community College.

Kanekoa is currently an instructor at Remington College in downtown Honolulu and specializes in teaching Speech Communication, Mass Communication, Critical Thinking and Career Development.  He has a Master of Arts degree in Communication from Hawaii Pacific University in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from UH-Hilo in 2006.…

Verizon Tablet Project Successful

Thursday, May 21st, 2015

Verizon Wireless News Release

An educational test pilot program at Kualapu`u Public Conversion Charter School through Verizon Wireless just concluded, and showed great success. During the program, Verizon equipped 50 students and teachers with electronic tablets and data plans to use on a daily basis. On May 5, representatives from Verizon Wireless met with the students and staff of Kualapu`u School for a mahalo ceremony on campus.

“When we began this pilot program with Verizon, we didn’t realize how big of an impact it would have on our staff, students, and their families,” said Lydia Trinidad, principal of Kualapu`u School. “The difference we’ve seen in our community has been monumental, thanks to the tools and resources that Verizon Wireless has provided us to help our students grow and learn.”…

Ka Hula Piko 2015 Theme

Thursday, May 21st, 2015

Halau Hula o Kukunaokala News Release

`Ae no Laka ka mole Ha`a o Ka`ana, `Ae no `Olohe ka mole Lua o Ka`ana. Recognized is Laka the root of Hula of Ka`ana, recognized is `Olohe the root of Lua at Ka`ana.

Each year at Ka Hula Piko we celebrate and honor the traditions and practices of our kupuna (elders) who have gone before us.  We strive to educate and enlighten all people about the pre-Western history of Molokai and to perpetuate the legacy of our beloved Kumu Hula, John Ka`imikaua.  With great effort we have worked to maintain the integrity of the `ike (knowledge) that was left in our care. …