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`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

Ilia Reyes, Record Breaker!

Monday, June 23rd, 2008

Local boy out-swims competition in championship event.

On day 1, Reyes swam on the 400 M Freestyle Relay team.  Well-known for his quick starts, Reyes led off the relay and was followed by Brett Gomes, Mitchell Chong, and Kekoa Taparra.  The quartet finished within two seconds of breaking the state record.

The second day of competition for Reyes involved the trials of the 50 M Free and the 200 M Free events.  Reyes earned the top seed for the 50 Meter event and the fifth seed for the 200 Meter event in the morning prelims.  Although he placed fifth in the finals of the 200 M Free, Reyes and Gomes waged a tremendous battle in the 50 M Free and both swimmers were rewarded with a tie for the gold medal.

The day concluded with the 400 M Medley relay.  The Hawaiian record of 4:08.00 went crashing down after Chong, Kila Pickering, Gomes, and Reyes were done with their swims.  With Reyes swimming the anchor leg (freestyle) and splitting a :54.29, the foursome clocked an outstanding 4:05.29 to close the day's swims.

On Saturday, Reyes had only one individual event but it was his specialty, the 100 M Free.  Entering with a seed time of :55.74, Reyes swam a :54.45 in the prelims and earned the top seed for the finals.  In the finals, Reyes blazed to a :53.71 and another gold medal.

As they did the night before, the team of Chong, Pickering, Gomes, and Reyes closed the day's events by bringing down the 200 M Medley Relay Hawaiian record of 1:52.82, lowering the mark to 1:51.70, and adding another gold medal around their necks in the process.

Sunday's events brought the anticipation of the meet concluding with another record.  The final event was the 200 M Free Relay.  Again, Reyes led off and was followed by Pickering, Chong, and Gomes.  The record of 1:39.30 didn't stand up to the performance of the four swimmers as they established a new mark of 1:38.62.

For the meet, the Kamehameha Swim Club totaled 1,952 points and more than doubled the second place team.

Former age group coach Lloyd Yonemura teamed with Dain Kane behind the mics to call the action throughout the entire meet.  Both officials marveled at the performance of Yonemura's former swimmer.  "He's done very well since he left our pool and has faster swimming ahead of him.  Now that he's on the UH-Manoa swim team, he's training harder and longer.  You can see it in his performances and you can feel his confidence rising.  I'm so proud of his accomplishments over the years!"

Congratulations to Ilia and his teammates of the Kamehameha Swim Club!