Island Youth

The keiki and `opio of Molokai

A Running Start

Wednesday, September 19th, 2012

MHS’s cross country runners gain experience at MIL meet

Seven of the 14 girls from Molokai High School’s (MHS) cross country team traveled to Hana for the season’s third Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) Meet on Saturday. Though none of the girls placed, the runners, who were all freshmen, got their first taste at competing in a cross country meet.

“I was proud of them because they gave it their best effort and that’s all I could ask for,” said Coach Eugene Santiago.

They started training five weeks ago, running for about three miles every practice at various locations like Ironwood Golf Course, the track at MHS, the fields at Coffees of Hawaii and along the highway.…

Raising Suicide Awareness This Month

Wednesday, September 19th, 2012

Community Contributed

By Dr. Stephanie Napoli, Behavioral Health Director, MCHC

A boy’s girlfriend just broke up with him. His parents tell him “I told you so”. His classmates gossip and laugh about it on Facebook. His best friend is too busy with his own girlfriend to talk. The boy isolates in his room and thinks, “I wish I was dead. I might as well be. Nobody cares.”

Alone, empty, rageful, worthless, trapped in nothingness. These are just some of the words people use to describe how they feel as they consider suicide. These are also some of the words people use to describe how they feel when a loved one does take his or her own life.…

Boxing in the Home Ring

Sunday, September 16th, 2012

Boxing in the Home Ring

First sanctioned amateur event on Molokai this weekend

For the first time in over 30 years, young Molokai boxers will be able to slip on their gloves and hear their name chanted as they face off in front of friends and family on their home island. Old timers remember the last boxing matches held on Molokai in the early 1980s, but this weekend, the Molokai Southside Boxing Club will host the first USA Boxing-sanctioned amateur event on the island that anyone can recall. The event is drawing fighters ages 8 to 24 from around the state for 21 confirmed bouts.

For Molokai youth, the Molokai Southside Boxing Invitational is a chance to compete on their home turf and gain valuable experience in the ring, which is limited because traveling to off-island sanctioned events is so expensive.…

Hoopstahz at the Barn

Wednesday, September 12th, 2012

University of Hawaii Basketball coming to Molokai

For the first time ever, the men’s basketball team from University of Hawaii (UH) will come to Molokai to play a regular season game against Chaminade University. The event, which Molokai High School (MHS) students are calling “Hoopstahz at the Barn,” will be hosted at MHS’s gym on Dec. 15.

Not only is this a historic game for Molokai, it also marks an important landmark for UH’s assistant coach Brandyn Akana, who was born and raised on the Friendly Isle.

“It’s a dream come true for me to see all this happening because Molokai is a special place,” he said.…

Lady Farmers Volleyball Starts Strong

Wednesday, September 12th, 2012

Lady Farmers Volleyball Starts Strong

The Lady Farmers dominated their home court at the Barn last week against Lanai High, sweeping all three games on both days. On Friday, they scored 25-16, 25-18, 25-19; on Saturday, they scored 25-15, 25-12, 25-20.

“I think we did really good,” said new head coach Mahea Rawlins, who took over after former coach Matt Helm accepted a coaching position at Whitman College in Seattle. “[The girls] worked together and talked it out on the field.”

On Friday, junior Taylor Keliihoomalu led scoring for the Lady Farmers with nine kills, three digs and one solo block. Fellow junior Rizpah Torres-Umi topped the team with seven digs.…

Modern Day Warriors

Sunday, September 9th, 2012

Modern Day Warriors

Farmers Football gears up for the season

Wiwo`ole. Kupono. Lokahi. These three words are chanted at the beginning of each game and are values expected from each of Molokai High School’s (MHS) football student athlete. It reminds players to be fearless, to be disciplined and to be unified — three principles as crucial to football as they are to life, according to Hanohano Naehu, assistant coach and defensive coordinator.

“If they can be those three things, then they can play for [us] and we are going crush whoever we go against,” said Naehu. “These are the na koa, our modern-day warriors that we send to represent us.”…

A Chance at the NFL

Wednesday, August 29th, 2012

A Chance at the NFL

NFL Punt, Pass & Kick Competition

Footballs flew up and down Kaunakakai Ball Field Saturday morning as keiki ages 6 to 15 practiced their punts, passes and kicks. This is the second year Molokai has hosted the nationwide Punt, Pass and Kick (PPK) Competition, sponsored by the National Football League (NFL).

“It’s a good opportunity for the kids to participate in a physical event, especially with football season coming up,” said Mike Mangca, Maui County’s Recreation Leader for Molokai.

Each child gets the opportunity for one punt, one pass and one kick, and a score is calculated based on distance and accuracy, according to NFL PPK’s website.…

Making Middle School Feel Like Home

Wednesday, August 29th, 2012

Community Contributed

By Kalei “Pumpkin” Moss

When I was in sixth grade, the thought of entering middle school was quite intimidating. This summer, Molokai Middle School (MMS) tried to make the transition for students a little bit easier with a summer program funded by the 21st Century grant program.

The summer program, open to current MMS students and incoming seventh graders, offered classes in academics, physical fitness and arts and crafts.

MMS strove to increase student achievement this summer by challenging learners in various areas of education, especially math and science. Students learned how to properly create a science project, review the scientific process, complete experiments and document research.…

Looking Back, Moving Forward

Sunday, August 26th, 2012

MHS assesses achievement and areas for improvement

Classes are back in full swing at Molokai High School (MHS) as students returned to school on July 30. While last year saw monumental improvements in student achievement and academic success, there is still room for students, staff and teachers to grow, according to MHS Principal Stan Hao.

No Green Hair for Hao
At the start of last school year, Hao promised students that if they made the state Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) standards this year, he would dye his hair green and spike it. MHS failed to meet the benchmark this year, in large part due to a technical error, according to Hao.…

Athletics Workshops

Thursday, August 23rd, 2012

Community Contributed

By Hoku Haliniak, MHS Athletic Director

Ever wanted to become a better athlete, coach or parent, but wasn’t sure how to take the next step? Workshops this weekend — the first of their kind on the island — hosted by the Molokai High School (MHS) Athletic Department and held by the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), can help you learn how.

PCA is a national non-profit with the mission to provide all youth and high school athletes a positive, character-building youth sports experience. Since its 1998 launch at Stanford University by Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jim Thompson, PCA has impacted more than 4 million youth athletes.…