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Education

Preschool Educators Hold Unique Retreat

Thursday, May 15th, 2025

Preschool Educators Hold Unique Retreat

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

Last weekend, early childhood educators on Molokai took to Pu’u O Hoku Ranch for two days of professional development and networking amongst activities like hiking and coconut basket weaving. Organized by Na Kamali’i Hoaloha preschool, the retreat fulfilled licensure requirements as well as offered a much needed end-of-year respite for educators – especially as worries around federal funding for some programs have mounted in the past weeks.

Sarah Ching, director of Na Kamali’i, explained that the retreat was an exceptional experience for Molokai’s early childhood educators.

“This is the first time something like this has happened for our island,” she said.…

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Queen’s Gala Celebrates Student Chefs

Thursday, May 15th, 2025

Queen’s Gala Celebrates Student Chefs

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

For the third year, the Queen’s Gala brought the Molokai community together to celebrate the work of young, aspiring chefs. The evening featured a five-course meal with specialty dishes and drinks designed and executed by members of the Culinary Club. From kalo chowder to maki sushi rolls, to meringue pavlova, the student chefs did not disappoint.

The requirements for this year’s menu were that the dishes contain at least one locally sourced ingredient along with the added challenge of being gluten-free, explained Tiare Hubbard, program director of the Culinary Club.

The young chefs spend months preparing for the end of the year gala.…

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Keiki Fest Combines Education with Entertainment

Thursday, May 8th, 2025

Keiki Fest Combines Education with Entertainment

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

This year’s annual Keiki Fest was a successful mix of entertaining activities and critical information for Molokai families. Organized by the Molokai Community Action Team, the event focused on ‘ohana well-being, explained Titi Hernandez, lead organizer of Keiki Fest.

“It’s for the keiki and their families,” said Hernandez. “We wanted to celebrate the keiki a little bit more as well as have a place for families to hang out.”

With over 1,200 Molokai community members in attendance at the Molokai Community Health Center on April 26, Hernandez and the Molokai Community Action Team were busy ushering kids and families between information booths, games, prizes, music performances and more.…

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Touch-a-Truck

Thursday, April 24th, 2025

Touch-a-Truck

By The Molokai Dispatch Staff

Kids love trucks.

“I think it’s the infatuation with trucks being so big, with the noises, the sounds” said Chanelle Beruan, general manager at Makoa Trucking.

On March 28, Makoa Trucking invited Na Kamali’i Hoaloha preschool to the inaugural Touch-a-Truck event at the Makoa baseyard near the Kaunakakai Wharf. Students in the class got to meet with Makoa truck drivers, beep the horns and check out a variety of equipment from refrigerated containers to flatbeds to forklifts.

Mostly though, the kids were just excited to see the huge machines, explained Beruan.

“Some [of the kids] were just in awe,” she said.…

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Egg Hunt Highlights Awareness Causes

Thursday, April 24th, 2025

Egg Hunt Highlights Awareness Causes

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

Kaunakakai Elementary students were treated to an evening of Easter eggs. 1500 plastic eggs were spread across the school’s campus, enticing students and their families to an entertaining activity with a positive twist.

“We wanted to add a fun event before the Easter holiday for our students and families outside of school hours as we celebrate and bring awareness to so many causes during the month of April,” explained Kala Bishaw-Juario, parent community networking center for Kaunakakai Elementary.

April is Autism Awareness, Child Abuse Prevention and Sexual Abuse Awareness Month. Early in April, the school had hosted the Molokai Community Action Team, who had come to educate students on child abuse prevention and sexual abuse awareness.…

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Students Receive No Cost Dental Services

Thursday, April 17th, 2025

Students Receive No Cost Dental Services

University of Hawaii News Release
For the first time, the Hawaii Keiki: Healthy and Ready to Learn Program offered free dental services to Molokai students.
On April 8, a team of nine Oahu and Maui-based dentists, dental hygienists, assistants and nurses traveled to Maunaloa Elementary, Kilohana Elementary, Kaunakakai Elementary and Kualapuʻu School to host dental sealant events. Three Molokai-based Hawaii Keiki health technicians provided additional on-the-ground support.
About 110 Molokai students were seen, receiving dental screenings, oral health education, hygiene kits and, where needed, dental sealants—a protective treatment that helps prevent cavities.
“This is the first time Hawaii Keiki has come to do dental sealants and we’re looking forward to next year,” said Kualapu’u School Principal Lydia Trinidad.…

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New UH President Visits Molokai

Thursday, April 17th, 2025

New UH President Visits Molokai

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

A statewide tour of the University of Hawaii’s 10 campuses concluded with a stop on Molokai for newly appointed UH President Wendy Hensel. Hensel, who was officially named to the job on Jan. 1, spent the day touring Molokai educational spaces and talking with students and community members.

Having Hensel come to Molokai was “a huge deal,” said Molokai Education Center College Coordinator Kelly Dudoit. “I don’t know if folks realize what an opportunity it is… It’s a huge opportunity for our community to share what their experience has been like with UH.”

Hensel spent her inaugural visit to Molokai checking out academy models at the high school, meeting with students and faculty at the Molokai Education Center, as well as speaking with community members.…

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Celebrating 35 Years of Hawaiian Language Education

Thursday, April 17th, 2025

Celebrating 35 Years of Hawaiian Language Education

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

On April 5, Kualapu’u School’s Hawaiian language immersion students took center stage, honoring the efforts of those who had come before. This year’s annual Hana Keaka Hawaiian theater performance had a special significance, as it celebrated 35 years of Hawaiian language education on Molokai.

“This year we honor our treasured voices, our manaleo, Native Hawaiian speakers of Molokai who were the guiding forces behind the founding of both the Punana Leo Hawaiian language preschool in 1991 and subsequently our Kula Kaiapuni o Kualapuʻu and ʻO Hina i ka Malama, elementary and secondary Hawaiian languages schools on island,” explained Ka’ala Fay Camara, current vice principal at Kualapu’u School and next year’s principal.…

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MHS Robotics Wins Global Award

Thursday, April 10th, 2025

MHS Robotics Wins Global Award

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

In March, Molokai High School (MHS)’s storied robotics program received international recognition, winning the Vex Robotics Marketing Challenge. The global award qualified the MHS team for the world robotics championships in Dallas, Texas this May.

“It’s a pretty big deal,” said longtime MHS robotics coach Edwin Mendija. Of the seven robotics teams from Hawaii competing in this year’s championship, two will be from Molokai.

For the award, the robotics team submitted a video detailing their identity and mission as MHS farmers. One of the key details in the MHS submission was their focus on community service and their quintessential Molokai identity.…

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Camara Named New Kualapu’u School Principal

Thursday, March 20th, 2025

Camara Named New Kualapu’u School Principal

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

For the first time in 28 years, Kualapu’u School will have a new principal. Ka’ala Fay Camara will take the helm on July 1, as longtime principal Lydia Trinidad will be retiring at the end of this school year.

“I am grateful to the Board Principal Search Committee for their hard work, time and perseverance to select Ka’ala as the next principal of Kualapuʻu Public Charter School,” said Hoʻokakoʻo Board Chair Jon Ching. Ho’okako’o is the governing board for several Hawaiian-focused charter schools including Kualapu’u School.

As a pre-kindergarten through sixth grade school, Kualapu’u School serves approximately 310 Molokai students of whom 90 percent are Native Hawaiian.…

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