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Island Youth

The keiki and `opio of Molokai

The Secret Lives of Monk Seals

Thursday, May 21st, 2015

The Secret Lives of Monk Seals

A year and a half ago, scientists and community members wanting to learn more about endangered Hawaiian monk seals decided to try a new method of observation. Instead of continuing to speculate and make assumptions about the life and habits of monk seals – much of which happens under water – they decided to record it on video. Attaching satellite trackers and cameras known as “critter cams” to the backs of seals allows biologists, students and the public to gain insight into the largely obscured life of this endemic sea mammal.

Most people observe Hawaiian monk seals sleeping on the beach or feeding right off the shore, said Charles Littnan, lead scientist of NOAA’s Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program.…

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Softball Seventh in State

Wednesday, May 20th, 2015

Softball Seventh in State

 

In the first game of last week’s state softball championships, Molokai sports fans had sinking feelings of déjà vu. For the third year in a row, the Lady Farmers faced Division II nemesis St. Francis. For the third year in a row, the Saints won. In the last two years after being defeated in the first game, Molokai lost a second to be eliminated from the tournament.

However, this year’s team wrote a different story. Despite falling 14-2 to St. Francis last Tuesday, the Lady Farmers turned around and beat Kalaheo 14-3 on Thursday and Konawaena 13-3 on Friday in the consolation bracket.…

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7 Judoka Compete at States

Friday, May 15th, 2015

7 Judoka Compete at States

Molokai’s introductory course in judo is complete. The Farmers ended their first-ever judo season at last Saturday’s state competition, and while none of them took home a medal, the coaches were pleased to see how far their developing judoka, or judo students, have come.

“Considering that these guys just learned judo about two months ago, making it this far, winning some matches, getting to states, that’s real good pretty darn good,” said boys’ Head Coach Eli “Lihau” Maioho.

Three Molokai judoka were seeded within the top four in their weight classes going into the tournament. Senior Kaila`oe Cabanting (115) and junior Kui Han (285) went in ranked third, while freshman Ikua DePonte (145) went in fourth.…

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Celebrating STEM Day

Friday, May 15th, 2015

MMS News Release

Molokai Middle School’s STEM programs and STEM Robotics programs are proud to announce the first annual 2015 STEM Day at MMS on Saturday, May 23 at the Molokai High/Middle School Campus Cafeteria.

This event will showcase STEM-related programs, classes, teams, and groups from Molokai Middle including STEM, STEMWorks, Science Fair, Science Olympiad, VEX IQ, Engineering in the Middle, and Jr. Engineering Expo, as well as other STEM-related programs on island.  There will displays, exhibits, and demonstrations, as well as the showcasing of our Molokai students in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).

This event will also feature Molokai’s first ever island-wide VEX IQ Robotics tournament featuring 419W Roadrunn3rs from Maunaloa Elementary, 96757 Kualapuu Comets from Kualapuu Elementary, 334M Mana’e Masters, 334B Beast from the East, and 334S Mana’e Style from Kilohana Elementary, and 1 V-Ger1 from Aka`ula Middle, as well as 19 teams from Molokai Middle’s STEM seventh and eighth grade programs.…

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Molokai Paddlers Shine in Olukai Races

Friday, May 15th, 2015

Community Contributed

By Clare Seeger Mawae

Twelve-year-old Alex Mawae charged at the Olukai for the Stand Up Race on May 2, taking second place in his division of 17 and under in a record time of 1:09.26.  The course was from Maliko Gulch to Kanaha Beach along Maui’s North Shore, a total distance of over eight miles. He smashed his previous times and his personal goal for this year. Only 25 minutes behind World Champion Connor Baxter, this is certainly not bad for this young man! This year, the 17 and under division was strong with 11 contestants out of 327.…

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Baseball Finishes Fifth at States

Wednesday, May 13th, 2015

Baseball Finishes Fifth at States

 

For six and a half innings, the teams had fought hard. Pac-5 had been aggressive on the basepaths and Molokai had been timely with the bats, but with the two-hour limit up and the score tied, it had all come down to a coin toss, per the league’s time limit rule. A flip of a piece of silver would determine who would advance to the next round of the Division II state baseball tournament, and who would go home.

“In my mind I was thinking, this is the biggest coin toss of our life,” said Molokai Assistant Coach Kenny Adachi.…

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Feats of Science

Wednesday, May 13th, 2015

Feats of Science

Elementary students from around Molokai tested their scientific muscle in an event called the Molokai Science Olympiad last Saturday, the first-ever event of its kind on the island. Held at Kaunakakai School, students in grades three to six from Maunaloa, Kualapu`u and Kaunakakai schools participated in teams, challenging each other to tests of engineering, math and science prowess.

One competition featured launching rockets made from soda bottles and pressurized with water and air. The winner of the competition was the team whose rocket remained aloft the longest. In another event, students designed and constructed bridges from uncooked pasta; the winning bridge could hold the greatest amount of weight.…

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Making Wishes Come True

Wednesday, May 13th, 2015

Making Wishes Come True

Ten-year-old Molokai boy Felix has had more than his fair share of challenges. Diagnosed with a progressive, genetic disease called Duchenne muscular dystrophy that causes muscle mass loss and weakness, he’s spent a lot of time in doctor’s offices. But for his 10th birthday, he forgot all of that and spent a week as a normal, happy kid, fulfilling his wish to visit Florida’s Disney World.

The trip was made possible by Make-A-Wish Hawaii, a nonprofit that grants wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Make-A-Wish Hawaii CEO Siana Austin Hunt, who grew up on Molokai’s Kapualei Ranch, said Felix was referred to the organization by his doctor.…

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Judo Finds Success in First Season

Wednesday, May 6th, 2015

Judo Finds Success in First Season

For a sport whose name means “the gentle way,” the energetic shouts accompanied by the sounds of bodies slamming on the mat may seem anything but. However, when executed correctly, the sport of judo is a fiercely fluid set of moves that are far less painful than they appear.

“The object of judo is to throw the person on their back perfectly,” said Molokai Coach Eli “Lihau” Maioho. “When that’s done, it doesn’t hurt at all.”

Molokai athletes are being schooled in the art of throwing hard and falling soft in the high school’s first-ever judo season. In only a few meets, athletes have gone from newcomers to top seeds in their weight classes.…

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Two Sports States-Bound

Wednesday, May 6th, 2015

Four Molokai sports teams competed in last week’s jam-packed Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) championships. While volleyball and track wrapped up their seasons, the softball and judo teams will continue on to the state tournaments.

Volleyball

The boys ended their season last Thursday on Lanai at the Division II Tournament with a thrilling five-set loss to Hana. The Dragons (12-2) outlasted the Farmers (3-9) 25-19, 18-25, 26-28, 25-20, 15-7, and later qualified for the state tournament.

The Farmers played well, and Coach Hale Domingo was happy with the season.

“Words can’t explain how proud I am of these boys,” he said. “I try to teach them everything I know about volleyball, but in the end they teach me more than I ever known.”…

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