Island Youth

The keiki and `opio of Molokai

Farmers First Look, Part 1

Wednesday, August 26th, 2015

Farmers First Look, Part 1

Last season was full of firsts for Molokai’s fall sports teams. Boys’ air riflery earned its first-ever Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) title. Girls’ volleyball hosted its first MIL championships. The cross country boys finished first in their division, while the football team competed in the league’s first eight-player title game. More experienced and just as hungry, Molokai athletes and coaches return for another exciting season. In a two-part series, the Dispatch takes a look at the four sports kicking off this fall. Read Part 2 here.

Football

Since eight-player football officially began in the MIL four years ago, Molokai has been one of the league’s top contenders.…

Solve a Mars Mystery

Wednesday, August 26th, 2015

Molokai Public Library News Release

Come and solve a mystery about a strange object found on Mars at a program at the Molokai Public Library on Wednesday, Aug. 26 from 6 to 7 p.m. We will use real data collected by Mars Rovers, amazing robots that send photographs to Earth. Using the practices of planetary scientists, we will investigate to find out if the object is a rock, a tool or a jelly donut?

You can also design a prototype for a new Mars Rover and decide what information it will gather about the Red Planet.

The program is provided by Alestra Menendez, a curriculum developer at the UC Berkeley Lawrence Hall of Science.…

Child Abuse Prevention Scenarios

Friday, August 21st, 2015

Consuelo Foundation Molokai News Release

Though Molokai is a small community, we’re not immune from child abuse. Education is an important step in prevention. Parents, don’t be afraid to talk to your children about staying safe and healthy. Here are two scenarios that you can discuss with your children:

1) When Junior goes to the doctor, the doctor looks at all of his body parts to make sure he is not sick. The doctor checks his nose, his arms, his tummy, and his private parts. Is the doctor checking Junior’s private parts to keep him healthy? Yes or no?

The answer is yes, to keep Junior healthy.…

Students Show National Promise in Health Careers

Friday, August 21st, 2015

Students Show National Promise in Health Careers

Community Contributed

By John Van Ornum

At the end of June, the Molokai High School Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) club attended the National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, California. HOSA is a student centered club that provides assistance, leadership opportunities and competitive venues to help prepare high school students for careers in healthcare.

Misty Parker was recognized on stage as she received the Barbara James Award for her service to the Molokai community. Luke Kikukawa earned a HOSA scholarship and was recognized with many other national recipients. Finally, Giesha Nunez served as a Hawaii HOSA state officer, helping to plan events and meetings for the national competition.…

Funding for Futures in Science

Thursday, August 20th, 2015

Monsanto Fund News Release

Monsanto Hawaii Science Education Fund awards grants to public schools serving students at the intermediate, high school and college grade levels on the islands of Oahu, Maui and Molokai. Applications are now being accepted. 

Established in 2005, the Fund helps provide Hawaii public schools with programs, tools, supplies and equipment to enhance science education in the schools, and encourage today’s students to consider a future career in the sciences. To date, the program has awarded more than $195,000 to public schools throughout the state.

Grant applications are accepted and reviewed twice a year.  The next application deadline is Oct.…

Community Resources for Kids with Disabilities

Friday, August 14th, 2015

LDAH News Release

Interactive entertainment, developmental learning activities provided by specialists and early childhood screenings for children ages two through five will highlight the Kid Zone at the 2015 Learning Disabilities Association of Hawaii (LDAH) Traveling Mini-Conference (TMC) on Molokai.

The event will be held on Thursday, Aug. 27 at the Molokai Community Health Center from 3 to 7 p.m. and is free and open to all families.

The Molokai TMC is an opportunity for families to learn more about community resources and services available to help their children with or at risk of disabilities. Kid Zone will include age-appropriate activities and comprehensive childcare for siblings so parents of children with disabilities, students with disabilities and educators can attend informational sessions.…

Top Finish Channel Crossings Youth in Motion

Thursday, August 13th, 2015

Top Finish Channel Crossings Youth in Motion

Community Contributed

By Clare Seeger Mawae

Two weeks ago, Molokai’s young paddler Alex Mawae was one of three young paddlers in the team Youth in Motion two win the Maui 2 Molokai race in their division. On Saturday, July 18, the 27-mile Maui 2 Molokai race took off toward Kaunakakai Harbor, with Alex, age 13, Kalia Alexiou and Annie Reickert, both 14 years old.

Team Youth in Motion were on fire and with every person they passed, the team got stronger and more determined to finish the race under 5 hours. Kamalo buoy was the home stretch and Alex’s paddling grounds proved to be the most fun with some epic glides and dolphins riding the bumps alongside them.…

Breaking Ground for Science Labs

Thursday, August 13th, 2015

Breaking Ground for Science Labs

By the end of next year, Molokai High School (MHS) is set to have a 4,500-square-foot, cutting-edge science facility. For a school whose science students have earned county, state and international honors over the past year—all with no science labs—it’s well deserved, and a long time coming.

Since it split from the middle school in 2004, MHS hasn’t had its own lab facilities. However, this month construction began for a two-classroom science building on MHS’s campus.

“It’s really great that you guys … basically get a brand new, state-of-the-art lab,” said Duane Kashiwai, Department of Education public works administrator. “This is being designed according to the latest sustainability requirements that we have.…

Grant Supports Youth Training in Sustainable Ag

Friday, August 7th, 2015

Sust`ainable Molokai News Release

Sust`ainable Molokai (SM) recently received a $17,434 grant from the First Nations Development Institute of Longmont, Colorado. This award will support the efforts of SM’s Molokai Agricultural Youth Leadership Development Program.

The Youth Leadership Program aims to train high school and college youth in sustainable agriculture and permaculture practices through an ongoing mentorship program. The mentees will gain knowledge in the areas of traditional Hawaiian agriculture, professional business skills, hands-on experience, and will be encouraged to find their own unique way to contribute to food sovereignty in their community while earning a stipend upon the completion of the program.…

First Molokai Club Swimmer at State Meet

Wednesday, August 5th, 2015

First Molokai Club Swimmer at State Meet

Last week, 15-year-old Kahale Naehu-Ramos became the first swimmer to represent the Molokai Dolphins Swim Club at the Junior Age Group State meet on Oahu.

At the Veteran’s Memorial Aquatic Center in Waipahu, Naehu-Ramos finished third in the 200-meter breaststroke at 3:00.67. Naehu-Ramos, who also competes for Molokai High School’s swim team, came in sixth in the 100-meter freestyle with a time of 1:04.38.

“Kahale swam the challenging 200-meter breaststroke race almost exactly as we had discussed it,” said Coach Jess Ford via email. “His execution was well calculated, and he closed in on the lead that the second place swimmer had in the last 50 meters, coming from nearly two body lengths behind to within one stroke for a very exciting finish.”…