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Education

Early Childhood Services Director Amaral Retiring

Thursday, May 14th, 2026

Early Childhood Services Director Amaral Retiring

MEO News Release

Thousands of Maui County residents from low-income families can thank Maui Economic Opportunity Director of Early Childhood Services Debbi Amaral — who will be retiring later this month — for getting a “head start” with subsidized preschool.

For the last 30 years, Amaral has devoted her life to providing quality childcare, education and family support and has helped families and children weather community and personal crises. She has been director of Head Start programs on Maui and Molokai for 3-and-4-year-olds and the Kahi Kamaliʻi Infant Toddler Center at the J. Walter Cameron Center in Wailuku for the last 21 years.…

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Molokai High’s Class of 2026 Graduation Details

Thursday, May 14th, 2026

Molokai High School News Release

Molokai High School is proud to announce the commencement ceremony for the Class of 2026. The traditional ceremony will take place on Friday, May 22, at 4 p.m. at the Molokai High School Athletic Field.

The community is invited to join the celebration in person (limited seating available) or virtually via a comprehensive livestream provided by Akakū. Viewers can tune in through:

Television: Akakū Channel 54 Digital: The “Maui Stream” app or akaku.org Social Media: Maui/Molokai Akakū Facebook pages and YouTube channel

To ensure a smooth start to the festivities, gates for ticketed seating will open at 3:15 p.m.…

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Kilohana School Spring Bazaar

Thursday, May 14th, 2026

Kilohana School Spring Bazaar

By Léo Azambuja

For many years, the Kilohana School Spring Bazaar has been the main fundraiser for this charming elementary school in Manaʻe. Aside from that, it’s a really fun and popular family event attended by hundreds of people each year.

“This is the Kilohana School Spring Bazaar. It’s been going on for about 40 years,” said Lacey Phifer, a Kilohana School alumni, tutor and the head organizer for this year’s bazaar May 9. “It’s my first year doing it. This is to fundraise for our school’s activities.”

The proceeds, she said, go toward the school’s supplies, field trips, bus services, Christmas program and other holidays, and the bazaar itself.…

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Molokai Educational Resource Experience

Wednesday, May 13th, 2026

Molokai Educational Resource Experience

By Léo Azambuja

Greased pigs, a giant tortoise, tiny chicks, a loving kitten and a trained K9. A firetruck, an ambulance and a chopper. Musicians, pilots, hospice workers, police, firefighters, nurses, dentists and builders. Watermelons, lau lau, ahi poke and musubi. A castle and hay bales.

“It’s the Molokai Educational Resource Experience. We started five years ago with about four people. In the first event, we had 800; now we are over 2,000 people,” volunteer Rosie Davis said.

The Fifth Annual Molokai Educational Resource Experience presented by the Molokai Homestead Farmers Alliance at Lanikeha Community Center May 9 was busy from the get-go at 9 a.m.…

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Seumalo, from Maunaloa to the NFL

Wednesday, May 6th, 2026

Seumalo, from Maunaloa to the NFL

By The Molokai Dispatch Staff

A Maunaloa Elementary and Molokai High schools graduate has made it into the National Football League for the next season. As if it weren’t good enough, he will play for the current Super Bowl champions.

“We want to give a big shout out to Vaai Jericho Uso Seumalo,” Rick Schonely said at his Molokai Sports Report at Akaku TV last week. “After the four rounds of the NFL Draft, he was signed as a free agent with the Seattle Seahawks.”

Schonely said Seumalo was recently at home on Molokai, and visited his former school in Maunaloa. …

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The Enchanted Forest; Hōkūlani’s First Original Musical Shines

Wednesday, May 6th, 2026

The Enchanted Forest; Hōkūlani’s First Original Musical Shines

By Léo Azambuja

The forest was dying and the magic was fading. Prince Aldric, Seraphina, Rigoletta and the Jester sought help from a witch who had been banned to the swamp years ago. She revealed a powerful curse by a villainous queen imposter, causing the king to forget his love and the princess to believe the real queen died bringing her into this world. 

“You think you know me, little girl, but you don’t. You think you know your kingdom, but you don’t. You think you know your own story, but you don’t,” the witch told Seraphina. 

The Enchanted Forest, an original musical production of the Hōkūlani Children’s Theatre of Molokai, had a nearly full house on all three performances at Home Pumehana April 23-25. …

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Keiki Fest 2026

Wednesday, May 6th, 2026

Keiki Fest 2026

By Léo Azambuja

The Keiki Fest 2026 last weekend offered a fun and safe venue for hundreds of families to celebrate their children while educating them on child-abuse prevention topics such as setting boundaries, consent and identifying trusted adults. 

April is national Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse and Neglect Month. 

“We want to bring awareness to that by having a festival for our keiki, bringing in resources so that the families get to know them,” event co-organizer Tylor Tanaka said, adding the activities and resources were all catered to the children. “Today is absolutely free. Get free food, free prizes.…

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New Dates Set for Kamp Kaohi

Thursday, April 16th, 2026

New Dates Set for Kamp Kaohi

MEO News Release

Maui Economic Opportunity Youth Services invites Molokai 6th to 12th graders to the 4th Kamp Kaohi — on its new dates of May 1 and 2 — for an overnight of fun while learning and discovering the inner strength to handle the difficulties of teenage life on the island.

The camp is offered at no cost to youths 11 to 18 years old. It will be held at Molokai Baptist Church, 495 Puupeelua Ave., Hoʻolehua.

Drop off is set for Friday, May 1 at 3 p.m. with pick up Saturday, May 2 at 3 p.m.

The overnight camp will feature fun activities, such as s’mores and games, while highlighting the Sources of Strength philosophy. …

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Promoting Literacy on Molokai

Thursday, April 16th, 2026

Promoting Literacy on Molokai

By Léo Azambuja

A literacy tutoring program that has been around for more than half-century is expanding to Molokai for the first time. An upcoming training session at Molokai Public Library will certify residents to provide free tutoring lessons to the community. 

“Are you looking to gain new skills or give back to your neighbors? Hawaii literacy is coming to Molokai, and we need you,” Hawaii Literacy tutor Charlotte Preiss said.

The Molokai Library will host the Adult Literacy Program’s free tutor training offered by Hawaii Literacy April 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with lunch provided. Besides attending the four-hour tutor training course, aspiring volunteers must have a high-school diploma and be willing to commit to meet once or twice a week with a learner for at least six months.…

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Berkeley Law Students, Faculty Learn from Molokai’s Energy Co-Op 

Friday, April 10th, 2026

Berkeley Law Students, Faculty Learn from Molokai’s Energy Co-Op 

By Léo Azambuja

A small group of students and professors from the University of California, Berkeley visited Molokai last week to find out more about the island’s solar energy projects led by community initiatives, and potentially apply what they learned to different communities on the mainland.

“Our clinic does work for a number of different nonprofit groups and sometimes public agencies that are trying to advance solar and wind power and other noncarbon energy forms,” said Claudia Polsky, a law professor and director of the Environmental Law Clinic at UC Berkeley. 

An ongoing series of projects at the Environmental Law Clinic, she said, relates to trying to get residential solar systems installed in a quicker, cheaper and more reliable manner to give homeowners and renters energy independence. …

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