Royalty Returns
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Royalty returns to Molokai! Hundreds of keiki and their families participated and enjoyed this year's May (Lei) Day events, scattered around the island. Below are pictures from Molokai's six schools' celebrations.
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Island Youth
1 CommentsDesigned to Shine
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Although Molokai High School has a mascot, a motto and a crest, they’ve never had a branded logo. So as a part of his senior project, Kaoli Place created a logo he hopes will stick around – with the help of several products for students and community to enjoy.
Place, with the help of classmate Eesha Dudoit-Alapai, created the Logo Store at the school, selling several products with Place’s logo design.
“It started to increase school pride and spirit,” Dudoit-Alapai said. They began last semester with small items – pencils and coffee mugs – while Dudoit-Alapai and their teacher Lisa Takata researched how to stock bigger items like bags and t-shirts.
Takata said with the help of a 21st Century grant, she’ll be opening up a print shop this summer to do their own printing – “keeping money on-island.” Eventually, Takata said she hopes to incorporate Place’s design into the school’s uniforms.
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Place created a logo that integrates images of the school’s slogan – “Farmers of the Land and Sea” – into the text itself.
“It just came to me somehow,” he said. Place used a fishing pole with a fish and a taro plant as inspiration.
He spent time on weekends and during spring break to clean up the student activities room, which serves as the classroom for Takata’s leadership class, and now houses the Logo Store. He said he plans to study graphic design after he graduates.
Community members as well as students are welcome to shop during the lunch recess (around 12:15 p.m.) Monday-Friday, to browse through t-shirts, tank tops, bags, lanyards, license plate frames, sweatshirts and notecards.
Checkmate: Molokai Middle Top at Chess
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Community Contributed
By Ted Takamiya
There are 64 squares on a chess board – 32 squares are occupied by various pieces at the start of a game. The unique moves of each piece tests every competitors ability to attack, defend, and counter-attack to achieve the game’s ultimate goal of checkmating the opponent.
Eleven Molokai Middle School (MMS) students, under the tutelage of Tubz Kalipi, dedicated themselves over a three week period in March to hone their skills, preparing for the 2011 Hawaii State Scholastic Chess Tournament. Besides chess strategies, Coach Kalipi emphasized the parallel between the game of chess and life where every decision made has consequences, both positive and negative.
The annual tournament was held on Oahu on Saturday April 2 with a total of 141 students from 37 K-12 schools participating in the event.
After placing fourth in last year’s tournament, MMS’ chess team entered the tournament with the goal of placing in the top three. After eight grueling hours of tournament play with each participant playing five matches, it was announced that MMS placed second in a field of eight teams in the middle school division. With a total of 11.5 team points, they finished two points behind the winning team from Washington Middle School.
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The chess program is supported by Queen Lili`uokalani Children’s Center in partnership with MMS and Grace Episcopal Church. A special mahalo to QLCC staff: Kekamaikaikamaikalani Helm and Ebra Silva; MMS Principal Denise Kelly, Corene Helm, counselor, and teachers Laree Mowat, Iolani Kuoha, Fay Huff, Michael Kahale, and Michael Hino; high school counselor Michael Fiorito; the Friends of Molokai High and Middle School Foundation; Ke Aupuni Lokahi; Kelvin Keanini; community volunteers Tubz Kalipi (chess teacher extraordinaire), Julian Torres, Cheesung Stone, Anthony Fukuoka, and Ted Takamiya; Jeffrey Adams, MMS eighth grader, who practiced with the team but was unable to attend the state tournament; and to all the parents and caretakers of the chess participants for entrusting us with the care of your sons and daughters.
Hana Avenges Lady Farmers
The Lady Farmers softball team tried to put the finishing touches on their undefeated regular season by winning the Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) Division II tournament finals, but was not able to fend off a feisty Hana team.
The Lady Farmers remained undefeated after a 14-3 win in five innings against Seabury Hall (3-7) on Friday, and advanced to the championship playoffs on Saturday against Hana.
Genessa Puaoi pitched five innings on Friday night in the win. Amanda Makawi, pitcher, went 3-3 with two triples. Natalia Levi, center field, also helped with a three-run double.
The Hana Dragons also won their match on Friday against the Lanai Pine Lasses 20-13.
The two wins between Hana and Molokai resulted in a two-game playoff championship on Saturday.
Wrestling Club Ready to Roll
Not only are the youth of Molokai learning the latest “takedown” techniques and gaining endurance in the Molokai Wrestling Club, but they are also having fun and staying out of trouble.
“Wrestling to us is a learning experience to help us for the future,” said Mikayla Pico, Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) D-II all-star wrestler for Molokai High School (MHS), who wrestles in the club during the off season. “It teaches us life skills, being goal oriented and makes us a stronger person.”
These days, the group is gearing up for their first tournament of the season, held at Maui’s War Memorial Gym this Saturday, April 30 where they will compete against nine other teams.
Final Kualapu`u Race Before Oahu
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Community Contributed
By Sue Forbes-Kikukawa
On Saturday April 23, the fifth and final 5K in the “Do 5 for the Kids” race series was held. This time the race course was moved to the road in order to simulate course conditions that the Kualapu`u team will encounter on May 1 in Honolulu. The 3.1-mile course ran from Coffees of Hawaii to a half mile past Molokai High School and back. Course conditions were hot and fast, with temps in the mid-80s by the 8 a.m. start. Several runners turned in personal records, with Akona Adolpho leading the pack in a time of 20:10. Other standout performances included Kaina Adolpho, in his first-ever appearance, winning the boys’ division in a time of 24:15, and Mary Grace Ringor besting her twin sister, Mary Rose for the first time, running 29:10.
Race organizers have decided to continue hosting a monthly race so that the kids (and the adults) can continue to improve their times over the summer. The next race will be held on May 21 starting from Coffees at 7 a.m.
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Girls’
1. Mary Grace Ringor– 29:10
2. Mary Rose Ringor – 29:42
3. Noelani Helm – 29:51
4. Genevieve Kikukawa – 32:22
5. Yasemin Soares – 39:56
Boys’
1. Kaina Adolpho- 24:15
2. Rafael Adolpho- 25:15
3. Nainoa Kahale – 26:56
4. Kahili Helm – 28:40
5. Noah Donnelly – 28:42
Women’s
1. Sue Forbes-Kikukawa – 21:48
2. Jessie Ford- 25:05
3. Alestra Menendez- 25:48
4. Katina Soares – 30:37
5. Ellen Reed – 42:30
Men’s
1. Akona Adolpho – 20:10
2. Kaimana Kahale – 23:28
3. Chavis Purdy – 25:06
4. Ryan Link– 26:47
5. Ian White – 27:23
Youth Program Dropped
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The students of Paxen Huli Ke Alo – About Face! and Jump Start programs – no longer have funding to continue their educational after-school program. The state-wide program helped students with academic and life goals, and served middle and high school youths on Molokai.
State budget cuts went into effect on March 31, and Paxen Huli Ke Alo lost 90 percent of its staff state wide, according to Lehua Kaauwai-Cougar, the program’s general manager.
Molokai’s site supervisor, Jera Pali, said she got the kids involved in the process to try and save their budget.
“[We said,] what we need from you [students] is support letters,” Pali said. “They went on Facebook, they were taking an active approach in hoping the programs would not end.”
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Farmers Beat Division I Team
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The Molokai High Farmers volleyball team sent off their seniors with two wins for their senior night last weekend, improving their record 4-6 over the Maui High Sabers, a division I team
The Farmers came out on fire last Friday evening, winning 25-22, 25-13, 28-18.
Senior Claude Kapuni helped his team with five blocks, while senior Nainoa Langer had 25 assists, as well as three kills, blocks and aces.
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“This is the best game we’ve played so far. We did a good job,” Langer said.
Langer put the second set away on Friday night with a powerful kill to Maui High side, before the Saber’s defenders had a chance to blink.
“I think they stayed together as a team and remember that we have to have fun and fellowship in being together,” said coach Bill Dudoit said. “Our blocking was also very good.”
Saturday’s game followed suit, as the Farmers shut out the Sabers 25-21, 25-22, 25-12.
“I will miss playing in front of the home crowd and being comfortable here,” Kapuni said.
Langer will also take fond memories with him of playing at The Barn.
“I’ll miss the support and exciting moments like getting a good kill and hearing the crowd ‘go off’,” he said.
The Farmers will play their last regular season matches against Hana (3-6) on Maui this weekend, and begin the Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) Division II tournament on May 12.
Acting Themselves
The Molokai High School Theater Group is getting back in the acting groove and preparing for its upcoming play, “The Princess and the Pea.”
The group started getting together for practice after school four days per week in January, preparing a play that will take the stage on May 2, 3, 5 at the MHS cafeteria-turned-theater.
Theater used to be offered as a class at MHS, when the funds were available, but now, the 21st Century program supports the acting club as an after-school program.
With the help of 21st Century, they are able to buy costumes and stage supplies.
Farmers Baseball MIL D-II Champs
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The Molokai High Farmers baseball team has had an extrodinary season, finishing regular season 5-1, and are heading to the state championship as Maui Interschoalstic League (MIL) Division II’s top seed. The Farmers haven’t made it to states for the last three years. The Farmers took the crown after two games on Friday against Seabury Hall (5-3) at Maehara Stadium and improved their record to 7-1.
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They took the first game on Friday afternoon in only four innings after ending with the mercy rule, 16-1.
Kaoli Place had a breakout pitching game on Friday evening by striking out 12 batters in total. The Farmers won with a score of 10-2.
Place also went 3-3 at the plate with a double, an RBI and three runs. Kamakana Duvauchelle-Andrade also contributed by hitting a double with 2 RBIs. Maverick Dela Cruz had an RBI single.
Coach Mike McCutcheon did not return calls for comment.
The Farmers will travel to Oahu for the state tournament on May 5.
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