Island Youth

The keiki and `opio of Molokai

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

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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

2 Comments

Tutu’s Corner

Sunday, October 10th, 2010

Community Contributed
Column by Tutu and Me

Why is it so important to give children choices? Young children don’t have much control over their environment. However, as children get older and become more independent, they will have to make choices without adults being present to guide them. That is why it’s important to give even young children the opportunity to make reasonable and appropriate choices.

In certain instances, such as health and safety, there is no choice. Children must adhere to certain limits, such as holding an adult’s hand when crossing the street. But in other areas, there is room to provide a choice. It’s usually best to give the child a choice of just two items; more than that may be confusing and overwhelming.

Try this at Home:
•    Give your keiki a choice of two shirts or two pairs of pants when they get dressed in the morning: “You can wear the red one or the blue one.”
•    Give your child a choice of two healthy vegetables at dinnertime.
•    Let your child choose the book you will read to them.
•    Let your child choose which activity they’d like to do. For example, doing a puzzle or coloring. When children choose their activity, they are more invested in it and learn more from it.

Remember…
Giving your child choices lets them have some reasonable and appropriate control over their environment and helps prepare them for more difficult choices later on in life.

Posted in Community, Island Youth

1 Comments

Aka`ula Race Results

Sunday, October 10th, 2010

Community Contributed
By Luke Kikukawa

The second race in the three-race Molokai cross-country run series was held Saturday, October 2 on the 3.5 mile Coffee's of Hawaii course. Field size was small with seven runners taking on the off-road challenge. The mid-course hill served again as the determining factor in final result positions. This time however, it was not the uphill portion, but rather the return run back down and around that separated the runners. The runs are being organized by myself, Luke, and Tanner Mosher, to fundraise for our school trip to Japan in the spring with Aka`ula School.

Race Results:
1. Sue Forbes – 27:40
2. Jesse Ford – 28:23
3. Chavis Purdy – 29:37
4. Ryan Link – 30:44
5. Frank Magri – 31:40

Posted in Education, Island Youth, Sports

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Island Youth

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

Tutu’s Corner

Aka`ula Race Results

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