Education

Weekend Sports Recap

Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024

Weekend Sports Recap

The Farmers continued their historic 11-man football season with a game vs King Kekaulike at home on Sept. 28. After giving up an early touchdown, the Farmers tied the game 7-7 late in the first quarter with an electric 82-yard kick return by Chauncey Adolpho.

The long return from Adolpho would be the only score on the day for the Farmers, as they ultimately fell to King Kekaulike 42-7. The Farmers will return to action in two weeks’ time, with the final home game of the season against Kamehameha Maui at 11 a.m on Oct. 12.

The Lady Farmers were likewise competing this past weekend, with two volleyball games over on Lanai.…

Upcoming Children’s Theater Production

Wednesday, September 11th, 2024

Upcoming Children’s Theater Production

Hokulani Children’s Theater News Release 

The Hokulani Children’s Theatre of Molokai is thrilled to bring another community production to the island, thanks to the unwavering support of our community. Our mission to nurture and showcase the performing arts among Molokai’s keiki has been met with enthusiasm and generosity, allowing us to continue this vital work.

This season, we are proud to present “Jane and the Giant Peach,” featuring 11 talented student actors who will take the stage on Sept. 27 and 28 for two special performances. These performances will serve not only as a showcase of our children’s hard work and dedication but also as a stepping stone for their first off-island performance on Lanai in October.…

Football Season Opener

Wednesday, September 4th, 2024

Football Season Opener

By The Molokai Dispatch Staff 

Kicking off their first ever 11-man team, the MHS Farmers traveled to Maui to take on defending Maui Interscholastic League Division I champions Lahainaluna in a much-anticipated season opener. 

The Farmers were ultimately shut out in the 59-0 loss to the Lunas. The game, however, marked an important first step for the Farmers as they embark on the new challenge of competing in the 11-man MIL Division II league. Next, the Farmers will play Maui High School at War Memorial Stadium, before returning to Molokai to take on Baldwin High School, Sept. 14 at 10 a.m.…

Help Support ‘Ainapa’a Wrestling Team

Wednesday, September 4th, 2024

Help Support ‘Ainapa’a Wrestling Team

ʻAinapa’a Wrestling Team News Release 

Molokai is our heart and soul, a place we deeply value and hold dear. This is our foundation and an integral part of our identity that will continue to guide our efforts for generations, both on and off the mat. Founded in 2022, ʻAinapa’a Wrestling Team’s (AWT) mission is to instill core values such as growth, knowledge, discipline, commitment, and community in every wrestler.  We are dedicated to offering opportunities that can help each wrestler achieve their personal goals as well as AWT’s long-term goals. 

Currently, AWT serves over 30 wrestlers, ages 5 to 16, throughout the year. We’ve also forged valuable partnerships with wrestling clubs and programs on Maui, Kauai, Oahu, and Las Vegas as well with prominent coaches and wrestlers.  These…

Could Scholarships Address Molokai’s Doctor Shortage?

Thursday, August 22nd, 2024

Molokai residents are well acquainted with the strained healthcare landscape on-island, especially with the passing of longtime physicians Emmett Aluli and William Thomas in recent years. Now, Alaka’ina Foundation, a Native Hawaiian organization, is looking at attracting medical personnel to Molokai through scholarships.

In addition to funding the Kauka Emmett Noa Auwae Aluli Medical Scholarship, the Alaka’ina Foundation is working on an additional, Molokai-specific scholarship at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii. According to Alaka’ina Foundation Vice President Kimo Bacon, this scholarship will require recipients to work five years at Molokai General Hospital.

“We’re looking at innovative ideas,” said Bacon.…

Back to School with Karen Harada

Thursday, August 22nd, 2024

Back to School with Karen Harada

As the school year gets going on Molokai, students return to their classes, teachers to their classrooms, parents to their morning routines. For one teacher in particular, the back-to-school ritual is most familiar. As 12th grade English teacher Karen Harada celebrates her 40th year at Molokai High School (MHS), she looks back on four decades of Molokai students, teachers and parents, and forward to the year ahead.

A graduate of the class of 1972 from MHS, Harada left Molokai for 13 years before coming back as an educator. After college in Colorado and various jobs on Oahu, Harada decided to use her writing skills in the education field.…

La Ho’i Ho’i Ea, ‘Sovereignty Restoration Day’

Thursday, August 8th, 2024

La Ho’i Ho’i Ea, ‘Sovereignty Restoration Day’

Molokai celebrated La Ho’i Ho’i Ea, or Sovereignty Restoration Day, on July 31 at the Molokai Public Library. A mini ho’olaule’a took place across the library lawn with booths and activities provided for keiki and their families. Native Hawaiian organizations Aina Momona and Ho’aka Mana brought activities like ‘ulu maika and konane for kids to check out, along with information on upcoming programs, Hawaiian language classes, books from Kamehameha Publishing and more.

Sovereignty Restoration Day honors the re-establishment of the Hawaiian Kingdom by Kamehameha III, following an illegal overthrow by a British officer in the 1843 Paulet Affair.

This year’s celebration attracted almost 100 Molokai residents.…

Grace Hagemann Scholarship Recipients

Wednesday, July 31st, 2024

Grace Hagemann Scholarship Recipients

Two Molokai college students have been awarded the Grace Hagemann Scholarship by Na Pu’uwai Native Hawaiian Health Care System for their interest in community and Native Hawaiian healthcare.

The scholarship is in honor of Grace Haaheo Kaawakano Hagemann, who was born in Pukoo, Molokai in December, 1894 and died on January 16, 1969, at age 74.

Hagemann had four daughters, Anna, Leonie, Katherine, and Anita. After a troubled marriage and the death of her husband in 1928, she became the sole supporter of her family, according to a bio on the Na Pu’uwai page for the scholarship. She was a cleaning lady for a doctor at a clinic at Pukoo, near Kilohana School, and grew most of her family’s food in her home garden.…

Keiki Clean Up Beaches at the Wharf, Canoe Club

Friday, July 26th, 2024

Keiki Clean Up Beaches at the Wharf, Canoe Club

A three-prong partnership brought together several dozens of keiki to a beach cleanup at Kaunakakai Wharf and at the Molokai Canoe Club Friday morning, gathering about 50 pounds of trash and 100 pounds of invasive red mangrove seedlings.
“This is our second year hosting the beach cleanup with Molokai Holokai,” said Sonja Angst, marketing communications manager at the nonprofit organization Sust‘āinable Molokai.
Angst said about 75 children from Maui County’s Summer PALS program, plus a handful of other keiki from the community showed up at the wharf for the cleanup. The children filled three large bags – two filled with snapped mangrove seedlings and another filled with trash picked up on the shoreline.…

10th Annual Keiki Fishing Tournament

Friday, July 19th, 2024

10th Annual Keiki Fishing Tournament

There was a time when Robert Kalawe Jr. got so good a hooking the biggest fish that he wasn’t allowed to enter fishing tournaments on Molokai anymore. So he decided to open his own fishing tournament. The irony, however, is that he wasn’t allowed to participate even in his own tournament – it was only for the keiki.
“I used to watch all the kids and they used to enjoy all the action, so I created something for the kids to give back to the community,” said Kalawe, explaining he started the Annual Keiki Fishing Tournament back in 2011, but this year’s is the 10th edition because of a hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic.…