Island Youth

A Gathering to Celebrate Success

Thursday, June 5th, 2025

Community Contributed
By Dara Lukonen

Whistles and cheers from proud family members and friends rang out on Aka ‘ula School’s campus throughout the school award and promotion ceremony and high school commencement.
It was evident that students, staff, and families had formed strong bonds this year. This close-knit ‘ohana celebrated the awards ceremony where students were recognized for their academic achievement and growth, their citizenship, and their commitment to learning and community.
Following the awards ceremony, parents of eighth-grade students were called on stage to present a school kihei to their new high-school students. Donning the school kihei symbolizes the community leaders that students are anticipated to be.…

Queen’s Gala Celebrates Student Chefs

Thursday, May 15th, 2025

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

For the third year, the Queen’s Gala brought the Molokai community together to celebrate the work of young, aspiring chefs. The evening featured a five-course meal with specialty dishes and drinks designed and executed by members of the Culinary Club. From kalo chowder to maki sushi rolls, to meringue pavlova, the student chefs did not disappoint.

The requirements for this year’s menu were that the dishes contain at least one locally sourced ingredient along with the added challenge of being gluten-free, explained Tiare Hubbard, program director of the Culinary Club.

The young chefs spend months preparing for the end of the year gala.…

Keiki Fest Combines Education with Entertainment

Thursday, May 8th, 2025

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

This year’s annual Keiki Fest was a successful mix of entertaining activities and critical information for Molokai families. Organized by the Molokai Community Action Team, the event focused on ‘ohana well-being, explained Titi Hernandez, lead organizer of Keiki Fest.

“It’s for the keiki and their families,” said Hernandez. “We wanted to celebrate the keiki a little bit more as well as have a place for families to hang out.”

With over 1,200 Molokai community members in attendance at the Molokai Community Health Center on April 26, Hernandez and the Molokai Community Action Team were busy ushering kids and families between information booths, games, prizes, music performances and more.…

Touch-a-Truck

Thursday, April 24th, 2025

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

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.…