Island Youth

The keiki and `opio of Molokai

Making a Difference with the Climate Crew

Wednesday, January 18th, 2023

By Sage Yamashita, Intern Reporter

From September to December 2022, three of Molokai’s young women strived to make an impact and create awareness for Hawaii’s climate policy and clean energy. Kirakai Yamazaki-Gray, Kayla Holm and myself, Sage Yamashita, were picked to join Blue Planet’s Cohort called Climate Crew with eight other Maui County high school students. Through the cohort, the students completed multiple climate actions, meetings, and workshops, helping the Climate Crew’s work to reach more than 1500 people. 

“I was really impressed with the Molokai girls that joined the Maui County Climate Crew,” said Griff Jurgens, Blue Planet’s education director.…

Sports Roundup

Wednesday, January 18th, 2023

By Sage Yamashita, Intern Reporter

The Barn had a double header last week for Farmers Basketball, with the boy’s team competing against Maui Preparatory Academy and the girl’s team taking on Seabury Hall. On Maui, Farmer paddling, swimming and wrestling teams competed. 

Molokai High’s basketball teams showed great sportsmanship during their games this week. The games were back to back starting with the boy’s first game Friday evening which closed with a score of Molokai 62, Maui Prep 39. Following the boy’s victory, the girls won Seabury with a score of Molokai 40, Seabury 11. The next morning, each of the four teams faced on in rematches.…

Imua Family Services Opens at New Molokai Location

Wednesday, January 18th, 2023

Imua Family Services News Release 

Imua Family Services invites you to join them in celebrating their newly relocated office location in Kaunakakai! In celebration of this new move, Imua Family Services has planned two free programs on Saturday, Jan. 28. The first is a special activity called Play Imua for preschool-age children and their families at the Molokai Public Library starting at 11:30 a.m. The parent-child program will include an interactive arts activity and story time.

That same day, Imua Family Services will also be offering free developmental screenings and evaluations for keiki between 2 months old and 5 ½ years of age at their new office location at 130 Kamehameha V Hwy in Kaunakakai.…

Weekend in Sports

Wednesday, January 11th, 2023

Weekend in Sports

By Sage Yamashita, Intern Reporter

It was a busy weekend for Molokai High athletes, with many teams kicking off the new year with competition. Boys Basketball had two home games last weekend against Waldorf. The final score on Friday came out to Waldorf 45, Molokai 41. The rematch on Saturday took the score to Waldorf 41, Molokai 33. 

On Maui, Farmers paddling, swimming and soccer competed. For paddling, the girls took fourth, the boys took fourth and the mixed team also placed fourth. Six swimmers swam great times, and Mauli Pupuhi came in first overall in the 100 and 50 freestyle.…

Kilohana School Finalist in STEM Competition

Wednesday, January 11th, 2023

Samsung News Release 

Molokai’s Kilohana School is among 300 public schools across America have been named State Finalists in the 13th annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow national competition, announced Samsung Electronics America. Representing the cream of more than 1000 competition entrants, each state finalist has won a package of $2,500 in technology and school supplies. Kilohana was one of five schools in Hawaii that became finalists. These finalists advance to additional stages of the competition that will culminate in three schools being selected in May as national winners, and receive $100,000 prize packages. 

The annual Solve for Tomorrow competition challenges public school students in grades 6-12 to explore the role science, technology, engineering, and math (the core STEM subjects) can play in addressing some of the biggest issues in their local communities.…

Molokai Students Attend Court Oral Arguments

Wednesday, December 28th, 2022

HI State Judiciary News Release

For the first time in three years, the Hawaii Supreme Court resumed in-person oral arguments at a high school for its Courts in the Community program.

“We are thrilled to be at Lahainaluna High School today to conduct oral argument and provide the students with this unique opportunity,” said Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald. “During the pandemic, students participated by Zoom, but nothing compares to being in person. This was an exciting day for everyone involved.”

Molokai High School students watched the oral argument, along with those from Lahainaluna High School, Kamehameha Schools Maui, King Kekaulike High School, and Lanai High and Elementary School..…

Children’s Theatre of Molokai Launches

Wednesday, December 21st, 2022

Children’s Theatre of Molokai Launches

Hokulani CTOM News Release 

There are currently no ongoing theatrical opportunities in the community or any of Molokai schools. To fill this gap, a grassroots community effort began in 2022 by Vicki Boswell, a former elementary school performing arts teacher and social worker from the island. The mission of Hokulani Children’s Theatre of Molokai (Hokulani CTOM) is to enrich the lives of young people and inspire them to build a better community by gaining performing art experience that will deepen their understanding of human connections and values. Hokulani CTOM is in the process of being created.

Working with other community organizations we officially launch in January with our first community production play, “The Legend of Mulan” for youth between the ages of 7 and 14 years old. …

MHS Robotics Begins New Season

Wednesday, December 21st, 2022

MHS Robotics Begins New Season

MHS Robotics News Release 

After a successful comeback in FIRST Robotics late last school year, the Molokai High School Robotics Team competed at its first in-person VEX Robotics Tournament in over two years on at Maui High and managed to finish as tournament finalists and won the Judges Award!

For this season, we are expecting to compete at least six times — four with VEX Robotics and two with FIRST Robotics.

In addition to competitions, MHS Robotics has also revived the Molokai Robotics VEX IQ League, which we last hosted in 2019. The league serves as an opportunity for local elementary/middle school robotics teams to compete without having to spend money traveling interisland.…

Healthy Soil, Healthy Life Poster Contest

Wednesday, December 7th, 2022

Healthy Soil, Healthy Life Poster Contest

Community Contributed

By Kumu Loke Han

Ke aloha nui e ka poʻe heluhelu i kēia ʻatikala nei! Eia nō kēia hoʻolaha mai ka Papa 6 ma ke Kula Kaiapuni o Kualapuʻu ma ke Kula o Kualapuʻu Public Conversion Charter.

I kēlā mahina aku nei, ua komo kekahi o nā haumāna ma ka Papa 6 i ka hoʻokūkū kahakiʻi pelaha no ka Hawaii Association of Conservation Districts/Molokai-Lanai Soil & Water Conservation District. ʻO ka poʻomanaʻo no ia hoʻokūkū ʻo “Healthy Soil, Healthy Life.”  Ua aʻo nā keiki he aha ia mea ʻo ka Lepo Momona, ʻo ke Ola Pono a pehea kākou e mālama i ka ʻaina i loaʻa ka meaʻai kūpono! …

A’o Aku; A’o Mai: What I Learn, I Teach

Wednesday, December 7th, 2022

A’o Aku; A’o Mai: What I Learn, I Teach

Community Contributed

By Sara Jane Larkin, Teacher

First graders practice what they know all day every day. At Kilohana Elementary School, one way I planned for them to practice their understanding of letters and the sounds they make when put together is writing a haiku.  Haiku demands understanding of syllables.  Syllables are sounds. They are the sounds that make up individual words as opposed to CVC words where each letter makes its own sound. This learning guides early readers into the understanding of digraphs and diphthongs — more than one letter that combine to make a single sound.  Please enjoy our first grade haiku with the prompt, “What about living on Molokai brings you joy?”…