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Filipinos the First Graduates of Language Institute

Tuesday, August 1st, 2006

 Learning a new language requires a lot of work and can often be intimidating, especially for adults. Recently 10 Filipino agricultural laborers, who are no strangers to hard work, took the challenge of immersing themselves in an English language course.

On Thursday night all 10 students graduated from the first English Immersion course offered though the Molokai Language Institute. The program is based on the curriculum used by the Maui Language Institute and is offered through the Molokai Education Center. The four-week, intensive course was taught by Elizabeth Lawrence and qualifies the students for enrollment in MCC’s college-level English courses.

All of the graduates are employees of Monsanto and were reimbursed by the company for the tuition cost of $100. Monsanto/Hawaiian Research General Manager Ray Foster was on hand to congratulate his employees and inform them that Monsanto will continue to pay for their English education if they choose to enroll at MCC. Foster said he was impressed that his employees were willing to complete such a rigorous course in addition to their full-time jobs.

In their graduation speeches all the graduates commented on how valuable their new English skills would be at work. For at least some of the graduates further education seemed unlikely.

“I don’t know, we’re working everyday, so it’s hard. We’ll see.” said Consuelo Tamura, a graduate who gave her age as “sixty-something.”

Donna Haytko-Paoa, education coordinator at MCC came up with the idea for the language institute by looking at her enrollment numbers and realizing that the students at MCC didn’t reflect the demographics of Molokai. The most obvious disparity was within the Filipino population. Filipinos make up about 27 percent of the population, but only 7 percent of the students at MCC.

Haytko-Paoa got funding assistance from the Molokai Rural Development Project, which job training and skills enhancement is a primary goal.

“We’re hoping that we’ll get enough interest to continue it next year and et beyond RDP funding,” said Lahela Han, RDP program support associate.

The graduates are: Philipa Afelin, Maria Banglatan, Joann Bumatay, Delia Domingo, Gerry Guzman, Jovelina Ilaban, Consolacion Lagazo, Aristotle Oamil, Jovita Rodolfo, Consuelo Tamura.

Keiki Show off their Barnyard Beauties

Thursday, July 20th, 2006

An auction was held after the competitions. Grand Championship for market hot and goat, as well as championship awards in showmanship, went to Kaula Apuna, a sixth-grader at Kualapu`u Elementary. Already a veteran at age 10, Apuna has participated in the program for five years. The program has taught her responsibility, and how to take care of things and people around her.

“If you treat the animals nice, they’ll treat you nice back,” Apuna said. For the past three months, she fed and walked all her animals two times a day, first thing in the morning and once in the evening. At auction, animals raise a price anywhere from $2 to $3 per pound, with limits on the total weight payable according to the different categories. The Grand Champion for the Steer Junior Showmanship was 14-year-old Maluhia Mendes, who has been involved in 4-H since she was 8, and knows what it takes to place.

“I kept my animal calm, kept eye contact with the judge, and set him up correctly,” Mendes said. eisha Pico, 17, was surprised she placed first in the Steer Senior Showmanship.

“I thought the judge wasn’t paying attention to me because he wasn’t looking at me,” Pico explained, who won for being calm and collected with her animal. Her steer’s name is Mufasa, after the king of the jungle in the Lion King.

“He was so wild; he wouldn’t let anyone touch him,” Pico said. “He had never seen a man before.” When she first got him, he weighed 700 pounds. By competition day he was up to 1,320 pounds. “At first I was kind of sad,” Pico said regarding the auctioning of Mufasa.

 “But I need money to go to college.” Mufasa sold for $3.70 per pound, which was a lot more than Pico had hoped for. Now, thanks to 4-H, going to college for Pico has grown from a possibility to a reality. Awards Night for the 4H winners will be held August 24, at the Molokai Yacht Club. Also at that time, the Herdsmanship awards and the Record Book awards will be announced.

Obon Festival 2006

Tuesday, July 18th, 2006

At the annual Obon Festival last Saturday night, the air around the Mitchell Pauole Center reverberated with a life of its own. Under colorful Japanese lanterns that swung above, Taiko performers danced and drummed the night away.

But they weren’t the only ones in action. Dancers from missions in O`ahu and on Molokai mixed with others from the community, old and young, stepping in synchronization around the stage.

“It’s wonderful to see the young people really getting into it,” Lisa Takata, president of the Molokai Guzeiji Soto Mission, said.

The festival is not only a time of drumming and dancing, but of honoring one’s ancestors.

“It’s a time to show them appreciation for what they have done for you for generations,” Takata said.