Island Youth

The keiki and `opio of Molokai

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.”…

Making School Meals Healthier, Cheaper

Wednesday, August 5th, 2015

Making School Meals Healthier, Cheaper

With the start of a federal free breakfast and lunch program offered in public schools island-wide and recent trends toward local, healthy eating, Molokai students are set to benefit in both the cafeteria and the classroom.

Last month, five Molokai schools were selected to receive free meals for all students regardless of household income through a U.S. Department of Agriculture pilot program called the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).

While principals of most schools said making sure all students had lunch wasn’t a major issue in the past, they said it would still be a significant financial relief for many families. For example, at Molokai High School, a full-priced breakfast costs $1.20 for students, while lunch costs $2.75.…

Picking Up Plastics

Wednesday, August 5th, 2015

Picking Up Plastics

Mo`omomi Beach has long been considered one of Molokai’s richest areas for natural resources. However, it’s also one of most Hawaii’s most debris-laden beaches, and last Saturday, more than 150 volunteers did what they could to remove thousands of pounds of bottles, rope and plastic rubbish of all shapes and sizes from the area.

The north-facing coastline is the first stopping point in the state for marine refuse floating from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, according to Kahi Pacarro, executive director of Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii (SCH).

The nonprofit’s mission is to inspire local communities to care for their coastlines through hands-on beach cleanups, and for the second year, they gathered manpower and momentum at Mo`omomi to fulfill that mission.…

Make Waves with Local Swim Club

Friday, July 31st, 2015

Molokai Dolphins Swim Club News Release

The state meets are wrapped up, bringing the long course summer swim season to a close.  Congratulations to Kahale Naehu-Ramos, the first Molokai Dolphin to compete at the Junior Age Group State meet at the Veteran’s Memorial Aquatic Center in Waipahu, Oahu, July 26-27.

Now that school is back in session and fall is almost here, the short course winter season begins. Molokai Dolphins Swim Club returns to its fall schedule on Monday, Aug. 3.  Practices will be Monday through Thursday, from 4:30 to 6 p.m., with double practices held in the mornings twice weekly, Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 5:45 to 7 a.m. …

Island Foundation Logo Winner

Thursday, July 30th, 2015

Community Contributed

By Barbara Haliniak

Congratulations to Michael Onofrio, winner of the Molokai Island Foundation’s (MIF) logo contest.  Michael was presented with a $200 check for his winning design, which depicts a gourd, a vine that reaches out and bears a hard shell fruit used as an implement (ipu) adorned with kukui nuts and leaves. This exemplifies the foundation’s purpose: to reach out into the community, to serve and support its needs.

Michael graduated from Molokai High School in 2013 and is about to begin his junior year at Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, where he majors in graphic design.…

50 Years of ‘Helping People, Changing Lives’

Wednesday, July 29th, 2015

50 Years of ‘Helping People, Changing Lives’

 

Across Molokai, the reach of Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO) is visible in many forms. There’s the rumbling pink and white bus that transports passengers from town to town. There are the storefronts whose owners have learned to be business savvy through MEO. There are pre-kindergarten keiki who have toddled through MEO’s Head Start program.

“This is probably the most diverse organization you’ve got,” said State Representative Lynn DeCoite. “… I feel this community, if anything, without MEO would be drastically hurt.”

Last Wednesday, the Molokai community celebrated 50 years of MEO’s service within Maui County. Residents came together to enjoy lunch, hula and musical performances, and a look back at MEO’s community programs.…