Island Youth

The keiki and `opio of Molokai

MHS’ Adolpho Signs with Warriors

Wednesday, November 17th, 2010

Molokai High School senior Kalei Adolpho signed with the University of Hawaii (UH) last week, formally accepting a full scholarship to play for the Warriors women’s basketball team next year.

The six-foot-one-inch Adolpho said she felt “excited, honored, nervous” about playing for UH. She had been in talks with recruiters since her freshman year and made a verbal commitment to the school last year.

Finally, last Wednesday, surrounded by her Farmers coaches, classmates and family, Adolpho signed a national letter of intent, making her commitment official.

“University of Hawaii should be very proud of what they’re getting… A kid like Kalei doesn’t come around very much,” said basketball coach Mike Hooper.

Adolpho will also play for the UH volleyball team next year.

During her career at MHS, Adolpho lettered in basketball, volleyball and track and field. As a junior, she was named the league’s Female Athlete of the Year.

Last month, she helped the girls’ volleyball team capture its first state title, capping off a 12-0 season.

Adolpho’s mom, Vesta, said it is a relief to have the commitment on paper.

“There was never really any question of where she was going to go,” she said.

Adolpho will be attending UH Manoa and has not declared her major.

Posted in Island Youth, Sports

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Tutu Talk

Friday, November 12th, 2010

Community Contributed

Column by Tutu and Me

It is important to note that children’s perception of music follow their development. For example, newborn babies begin life by developing trust versus mistrust in the environment. They are soothed by quiet singing and rocking, which helps them formulate trust. They are frightened by scary sounds, which lead to mistrust.
By the time a child reaches ages two to three, they show increased language development, and can jump, run and walk to music. At this age, children learn and enjoy action songs.

Children use songs and rhythms to communicate their thoughts and feelings. Music heightens children’s listening skills. Music fosters a positive self-image by helping children feel successful in musical activities. Many songs focus on children.

At Tutu and Me Traveling Preschool, we give children many opportunities to explore music through singing, dancing, playing instruments, and creating bodily movements.

Try This at Home:
•    Sing familiar songs with your child every day
•    Make a homemade kazoo – secure wax paper at one end of a toilet paper roll with a rubber band. Blow through the open end while humming a tune.
•    Make a homemade tambourine – place rice or beans between two paper plates, secure the edges of the plates with tape. Shake the tambourine with one hand or tap it with the heel of the other hand. Beware of the choking hazard of the beans.
•    Make a homemade drum – cover and decorate the outside of an empty coffee can. Replace the lid and beat with hands or wooden spoons.
•    Make homemade sand blocks – glue coarse sand paper to two smooth blocks of wood. Rub the blocks together to make music.
•    Play classical music for you and your child. Bach is a good choice.
•    Dance to music with your keiki.

Remember: Music is important in the lives of children
Contributions from Tutu and Me Traveling Preschool, a program of Partners in Development Foundation. Tutu and Me is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Posted in Island Youth

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Maunaloa Heads to Mo`omomi

Friday, November 12th, 2010

Community Contributed

‘It Was Classic’
By Maria Angst
In the morning, we drove in cars to Mo`omomi and it was bumpy. We were going up, down, and side to side. It was classic!
As we walked on the footpath, we saw a white native plant. It is soft and fluffy. It only grows at Mo`omomi. It is called `ena `ena.
At Mo`omomi beach we saw flags that marked where the shear water bird nests were. We saw a baby sheer water bird. The bird looked like a grayish cotton ball. The shear water bird also has a short wedge tail. It rested peacefully under a flat rock.
Next, we ate lunch in a cave that looked like an upside down sand dune. It looked spectacular! Uncle Ed gave us juice to drink because we listened and paid attention. On our hike, we also saw tree snail fossils. We learned that the ancient Hawaiian people ate turtle, and that there are deer at Mo`omomi.
Last, we picked rubbish from the beach. There were bottles, cans, floaters, toothbrushes, and lots of plastic. Birds think the rubbish is food and eat them and they die.

Lesson Learned
By Vaai Seumalo
When we went to Mo`omomi beach, we learned that Uncle Ed and his crew cut down the kiawe trees to help the native plants.
We looked at the native wedge-tail shear water birds. We learned that sometimes monk seals come to the beach. A long time ago, there were many green turtles that would also come to Mo`omomi beach. Hawaiian used to eat the turtle that they caught. They also ate crabs and fish.
At Mo`omomi, there are different kinds of rocks. There are sandstones, imu stones, and stones used for tools.
We picked up some rubbish. Uncle Ed said that some boaters dump their rubbish in the sea and it ends up on our beach.
I enjoyed my Mo`omomi Beach fieldtrip!

Posted in Education, Environment, Island Youth

1 Comments

Tutu’s Corner

Friday, November 5th, 2010

Community Contributed

Column by Tutu and Me

The Hawaiian value ho`omaika`i means to be grateful or thankful. It is very important to teach the attitude of gratitude to our children. There are so many things to be thankful for: healthy children, gainful employment, food, a place to live, a happy family, friends, and good health in general. Peace, kindness, goodwill, to name a few. A little known secret about gratitude: the increase in blessings is proportionate to the increased gratitude that a person possesses.

At Tutu and Me Traveling Preschool, we are thankful everyday to be able to bring such a wonderful program to our community. We truly appreciate the families who participate in this program with us. By modeling our attitude of gratitude through words and deeds, we hope that our keiki will begin to imitate, learn and practice.

Try this at Home:
•    Teach your children to say mahalo or thank you. Help them to appreciate things that are given to or done for them.
•    Model gratitude; let them see and hear you thanking others for their kindness.
•    Write or create thank you cards together when someone gives them a gift.
•    Know that it’s okay to not give your child everything that they ask for. Help your child appreciate things more by allowing them to work for, or wait for some things.
•    Let your child hear your daily acknowledgements of blessings, such as being thankful for their good health, rain, sunshine, etc.

Remember, children who learn to be grateful and appreciative will grow up to be adults who enjoy the fruits of gratitude: bountiful blessings.

Contributions from Tutu and Me Traveling Preschool, a program of Partners in Development Foundation. Tutu and Me is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Posted in Education, Island Youth

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‘Another Year in the Books’

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

The three-mile course was muddy and hilly, and the weather was hot. But the Molokai cross county runners held their own at the high school cross country state championships last Thursday in Waipahu, Oahu.

The boys’ team sent two of their three qualified runners – Akona Adolpho didn’t attend due to illness. Senior Kevin Dudoit, a third-year state qualifier, ran 18:38.75 to place 57th overall, and sophomore and second-year qualifier Isreal Adolpho ran 21:07.85 for 151st place.

“They did good – kind of what I expected,” said boys’ coach Mahinahou Ross. “A good experience for Kevin – he was really steady and consistent throughout the season.”

Last year, Dudoit got 82nd. He credits his higher place this year to more miles ran at practice.

“I think I just ran harder [at states] because this year’s my last year,” he said.

Ross said after graduating some of his best runners over the past few years, he hopes to qualify as a team again with five runners returning next year.

.”

The girls’ coach Kelly Go said this was a good season, and a learning experience “for us both” – this was her first season coaching and she had a few first-time runners.

“Another year in the books,” Ross summed up.

Posted in Island Youth, Sports

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Shooting for Next Year

Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010

Molokai sent four girls to compete at the air riflery state championships last week in Honolulu – and they’re already planning a return trip next year.

“The girls out there, they were a lot higher, but at least we know what to aim for,” said junior Kayla Matson. “We want to place next year.”

The Lady Farmers placed seventh in the team competition. Matson, who was the top female shooter at the Maui Interscholastic League championships last month, came in 33rd in the individual competition with a score of 467 out of 600. (For the championships, shooters did one round of prone, standing and kneeling each.)

Junior Chelsea Simon finished 35th with 463, junior Nika Mendija finished 40th with 418 and freshman Mia Mendija finished 41st with 413.

“Their experience at the states gave them more of an appreciation of where they’re at and where they need to be,” said coach David Kalani, adding that all the girls plan on returning to the team next year.

Posted in Island Youth, Sports

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The Paniolo Way

Monday, October 25th, 2010

Kapua Lee casts a firm grip around a calf’s neck as it wildly bucks for freedom during the mugging portion of Saturday’s rodeo at Molokai Ranch Arena.

Dozens of keiki, young adults, women and men tightened their buckles and slipped on their boots to participate in a rodeo put on by the Kamakana family. For some, it was their first time barrel racing, calf mugging or navigating a horse through weaving poles.

The next rodeo is scheduled for Nov. 13 and is open to anyone.

Posted in Island Youth, Sports

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Bull’s Eye

Wednesday, October 20th, 2010

Shoot-shoot-shoot!

They’ve been saying it all season, and last week the Molokai High School air riflery team did just that, topping the girls’ division at last Saturday’s Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) championships. They finished first overall with 1,733, the combine score of the team’s top four finishers.

“They tore them to pieces,” said coach David Kalani. “They said ‘Molokai?’ Yes, Molokai! We’re here.”

The Lady Farmers beat out second place St. Anthony with 1,702 and third place Maui High with 1,664.

Posted in Island Youth, Sports

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Leaders in Waiting

Wednesday, October 13th, 2010

.”

“This is our responsibility,” added Alex Gilliland, 13, who wrote the group’s vision statement.

Heavy Lifting
Asking a group of pre-teens to set the agenda for economic growth or education reform is not easy. The students said it took a few days for them to understand how to work together and flush out their ideas.

“I knew we were going to work,” said Decker Bicoy, 11, “but…”

“It was hard at first,” Tamanaha finished.

The students were also divided along school lines – the group included Aka`ula, Kualapu`u School, Kilohana Elementary and Molokai Middle School students, as well as one home-schooled student.

“It amazes me on such a small island that we polarize by community,” Newberry said. Fortunately, she added, in close quarters the students couldn’t help but bond. “Then the walls came down and it was a cohesive group with a vision.”

Christina Nakihei, 10, was one of two students from Kualapu`u School at the summit. She said at first it was scary being thrown into a group of kids she didn’t know, but by the end she felt at home.

“I just made friends with them this whole week!”

Yes We Can
The week wasn’t all work and no play – in between panels and visioning sessions, the kids fit in rounds of star gazing, campfire stories and hikes through Pu`u O Hoku’s grounds.

“Last night I stayed up way past bedtime,” Gilliland boasted.

On Friday, parents were invited to the lodge for a small reception. The students read the goals they had drafted and gushed about their week.

“I think this will be one of the experiences in my life that I never forget,” Hannah Alt, 11, told the crowd.

The group plans to reassemble quarterly to revaluate their vision and annually to host a multicultural festival. In 10 years, it will come together again to mentor a new group of Molokai students at the next Youth Visioning Project.

Until then, the students said, it’s up to them to effect change.

“We want the people of Molokai to see our vision and try to reach these goals,” said Kori-Lee DeRouin, 11.

Posted in Education, Island Youth

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Lady Farmers Smash Maui, Lanai Teams

Monday, October 11th, 2010

After a week-long break packed with six off-island matches, the Molokai High School girls’ volleyball team returned home Sunday as the top seed for this weekend’s Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) Division II tournament.

The Lady Farmers’ week began on Oahu with two exhibition games against top-ranked Punahou and No. 1 Kamehameha last Monday and Tuesday. Molokai (7-0) was swept by Punahou in four tough sets, 28-26, 25-23, 25-11, 15-13, before losing to Kamehameha, 27-25, 25-23, 20-25, 25-22.

“We pulled off one set from Kamehameha,” said head coach Matt Helm. “We got the opportunity to start seeing competition that we don’t see in practice. It’s good for us.”

was the best game,” Helm said. “They were tall, big, had good ball control. It was a good test for us.”

Seven days and several matches later, Helm said the girls had a positive off-island experience and bonded as a team.

“When we travel, they get the opportunity to bond and come together,” he added. “It allows them to play even better.”

The team will make its way back to Maui on Thursday to face off with the winner of a Lanai and St. Anthony match in the MIL Division II tournament.

Posted in Island Youth, Sports

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Island Youth

MHS’ Adolpho Signs with Warriors

Tutu Talk

Maunaloa Heads to Mo`omomi

Tutu’s Corner

‘Another Year in the Books’

Shooting for Next Year

The Paniolo Way

Bull’s Eye

Leaders in Waiting

Lady Farmers Smash Maui, Lanai Teams

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