Island Youth

The keiki and `opio of Molokai

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.…

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.…

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.…

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.…

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.…

Molokai Chargers

Thursday, March 20th, 2025

Molokai Chargers

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

“The waves could be better, but we’re going to go out there and have fun,” explained Molokai 16-year-old, Kai Padilla-Silva. In his first ever surfing contest, Padilla-Silva was preparing to compete in both bodyboarding and shortboard surfing.

On Saturday, March 15, a community wide surf contest was hosted on Molokai for the first time since 2019. Organized by Molokai Keiki O Ke Kai and the Hawaii Surfing Association, the event offered bodyboarding and surfing categories for a variety of age groups.

“It’s a fun thing for us kids to do because we don’t have a lot to do,” Padilla-Silva explained.…

‘Aha Opio O Molokai Showcases Student Creativity

Thursday, March 13th, 2025

‘Aha Opio O Molokai Showcases Student Creativity

By The Molokai Dispatch Staff

In its ninth iteration, the ‘Aha ‘Opio O Molokai offered plenty of opportunities to demonstrate the creativity of Molokai students and their connection to cultural history. Held annually, this year’s showcase was held at Kilohana School on Saturday Feb. 22.

Student work lined the rooms of Kilohana School, with projects ranging from the ahapua’a system to water conservation and more.

“It turned out to be a really, really nice day,” explained Molokai High School librarian Diane Mokuau, a member of the leadership cadre for the showcase. “It’s an opportunity to see what our students can produce.”…

Culinary Club Discontinued

Thursday, March 13th, 2025

Culinary Club Discontinued

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

Following three years of cook offs, kitchen skills, restaurant visits and community galas, Molokai High School’s (MHS) popular Culinary Club will no longer be in operation at the high school starting next year.

“The Culinary Club will be discontinued at the end of the current school year,” explained a March 5 letter from MHS Principal Katina Soares to parents. “We are committed to providing culinary experiences and career opportunities for our students. These opportunities will be integrated into the regular in-school culinary class curriculum moving forward.”

The decision to shelve the club was due to fundraising worries and an administrative desire for stronger adherence to MHS’s Academy Model, explained Soares in an interview with the Dispatch.…

E Ola Ka ‘Olelo Hawaii 

Thursday, February 13th, 2025

E Ola Ka ‘Olelo Hawaii 

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor 

“If a culture has its language, the culture will live on. Once the language dies, the culture dies,” explained Kilia Purdy-Avelino. As a longtime kumu of ‘Olelo Hawaii currently teaching ‘olelo in a Hawaiian focused charter school, Purdy-Avelino has helped many students participate in this lifeline of language. Last week though, she sat in a slightly different role as a judge at the annual ‘Aha Ho’okuku ‘Olelo Hawaiian Language Competition. 

Molokai students of the Hawaiian language from preschoolers at Punana Leo to high schoolers and even some post-grad young adults gathered at Kulana ‘Oiwi Halau on Tuesday, Feb.…

Lonoikamakahiki

Friday, January 31st, 2025

Lonoikamakahiki

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

Last week, Molokai residents made their way to Kaunakakai Ball Park to celebrate the end of Makahiki season. Makahiki, a four-month period starting in late October or early November and ending in January, represents the season of Lono, and the bounty of the rain and harvest. The Hawaiian tradition of competing in games to honor this time of year was revived on Molokai over four decades ago.

“Forty-four years ago, we started the Makahiki games playing baseball and basketball because that’s all we knew,” explained Walter Ritte, one of the founders of Ka Molokai Makahiki’s revival of the ancient tradition.…