Submitted by Diane Abraham
The public school teachers on Molokai would like to thank The Molokai Dispatch for the opportunity to have our haumana share their experiences with their most beloved teachers. Each month, kumu from a different school island-wide will be featured in articles written completely by the keiki. This month’s student articles are from fourth-graders at Kualapu`u School.
Mr. Ryan Link (PE teacher)
Health Topics: Hearing and Vision
Column by Tutu and Me
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Community Contributed
By Clare Seeger Mawae
The 6th Annual Naish Paddle Championships was held on Maui on July 24 from Maliko Gulch to Kahului Harbor, a distance of 9.54 miles. More than 220 world-class international competitors in both prone and stand up paddle divisions gathered for this event. Two Molokai youth, Josie Mawae, 11, and Alex Mawae, 9, were the youngest competitors in this prestigious line-up.
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Kamehameha Schools News Release
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Growing up on Molokai, Dayton Wong and Kaimana Chow became friends when they attended Kaunakakai Elementary school. After attending separate high schools – Wong at Molokai High School (MHS) and Chow at Kamehameha Schools on Oahu – they reunited in the University of Hawaii (UH) undergrad dorms in 2006, helping each other study and pushing themselves to succeed. Now, they’re starting another journey together: a four-year program at the UH John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) – making them two of only a few Molokai students who have been accepted to medical school.
While the pair’s parallel paths are notable, it’s their shared goals for the future that set could them apart from their class: they each hope to return to Molokai to practice medicine for the community that gave them so much, they said.
“Molokai being the small community that it is, it’s good to take care of the community, if you have a chance to do that,” Wong said. “It’s still a long ways away until I’ll be able to give back, but it can be counted on. It will happen.”
Chow said he, too, is motivated to return the gift of giving to the small communities which raised him.
“The communities [of Molokai and Homer, Alaska], since they’re smaller, they’re more like a family, more supportive,” he said. “It makes you wanna give back to those communities who help you along those journeys.”.JPG)
Molokai youth have stars in their eyes this week as they wait to be interviewed in the final round of Moonbots 2.0, the second year of an international robot-building competition sponsored by Google, Lunar X Prize Foundation and LEGO. The goal of each team is to design a robot to be made of Legos that could survive moon exploration.
Molokai’s four-person crew, named Molokai Mahina 2.0 (an encore version of their team name last year, Molokai Mahina), was among 20 teams worldwide chosen to advance to the second round – the first time a Hawaiian team has made it this far. More than 70 teams from around the globe entered the competition, which is open to students ages 9 to 18.
Team members include Alex Gilliland, James Duffy, Luke Kikukawa and Michael Kikukawa.
Last year, Molokai High School’s (MHS’s) club football team played its first two games in 50 years. About 20 players were on the roster, and head coach Mike Kahale joked they played with “chicken-skin goosebumps,” and wore donated, dyed uniforms that came out looking “doo-doo green.”
More than 30 players participated in tryouts for the club team’s second season last week, and they look forward to playing more than twice as many games as last season – including their home opener on Sept. 17. They were brimming with confidence, and had used fundraising and donations to purchase their own uniforms – in proper Molokai Farmer green.
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With 17 crews on the water, Molokai was well-represented this year in the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association (HCRA) state championship, held at Hanakaoo (Canoe) Beach Park on Maui last Saturday. Wa`akapaemua Canoe Club brought 12 crews, while Kukui O Molokai and Molokai Canoe Club had two and three, respectively.
“We’re going against the best in the state – all you can do is try your best,” said Molokai Canoe Club President Liko Wallace.
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Students crowded Molokai’s classrooms last week, excited to see their peers, hit the books and meet their teachers. While Molokai Middle School welcomes new principal Gary Davidson, other principals island-wide look forward to an engaging school year.
“We look at our school as family, first and foremost,” said Kaunakakai School Principal Janice Espiritu. “And we treat all our students as if they’re our very own.”
Molokai High School (MHS)
It’s time to stock up on all things green – face-paint, T-shirts, banners and signs, as the Molokai High School (MHS) sports teams get ready for your support. The Farmers are gearing up for another fall season when they’ll don their knee pads, lace up their shoes and get behind their rifles in the Maui Interscholastic League (MIL).
Girls’ Volleyball
The girls’ volleyball team aims to defend its state title this season while boasting the largest roster Matt Helm has seen in his eight years as head coach. The 14-player squad includes five returnees, and with three consecutive Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) titles under their belts, Helm said he knows the team has “a little target on their back.”
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