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Education

Ready, Set, Hike!

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

Ready, Set, Hike!

Get your cleats ready, Molokai, because the streak is over. After a 50 year hiatus, Molokai High School football is back in the lineup and will take to the field this fall.

“It’s going to be big,” said Mike Kahale, a social studies teacher at Molokai Middle School. “Our kids have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time.”

Kahale, head coach of the team, said he and his wife had been developing a strategic plan to bring back high school-level football for the past two years, and is finally becoming a reality.

“There is already a lot of talk about it,” he added. “We have about 44 kids signed up.”

One of the biggest obstacles, Kahale said, was finding the funds to purchase football equipment. But with a $2,000 equipment grant from USA Football, among other donations, the team will be ready to kick off its three-year football plan.

Eight Ball
Although securing the funds for a traditional 11-man team was a stretch, it didn’t mean the sport couldn’t exist at all. This past year, smaller schools in Maui County began looking into an eight-man football league – which was recently sanctioned by the Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) to include Molokai, Seabury Hall and St. Anthony high schools.

Eight-man football has gained popularity in many rural areas on the mainland and allows small schools with small budgets a chance to play football.

Since the league doesn’t have the finances to cover tackle football off the bat, it will start small and slowly expand. The first year will be a passing league with full padding incorporated the second year, and full MIL sanctioning expected in the third year.

“It’s the only way to make it financially feasible,” Kahale said. “It’s a great way to introduce football fundamentals and to actually start. Why wait until next year?”

Grassroots
The 1960-61 Farmers were the last high school football team on Molokai. Despite lacking a program, Molokai produced professional football player Kimo “Scooby” Von Oelhoffen. He played at the University of Hawaii and Boise State before starting a 15-year NFL career. Although Von Oelhoffen never played on Molokai, he did commit to helping out the new program financially, but has yet to discuss dollars and cents with Kahale.

Still, more money needs to be raised to help pay for travel costs, field maintenance and additional equipment. Resting on the coattails of major budget cuts for high school sports, the program seeks financial support from the community, businesses and organizations.

Tax deductible donations can be made through Friends of Molokai High and Intermediate. Kahale is also looking for help with coaching – preferably those with some high school or college football coaching experience.

For more information contact Kahale at 658-0834 or e-mail at mikekahale@yahoo.com.

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Maunaloa School Closer to Staying Open

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

Maunaloa Elementary School has passed the second of four hurdles in the community’s effort to keep the school open. On June 20, Lindsay Ball, Complex Area Superintendant for Molokai, issued his recommendation in favor of the school’s preservation, but added a twist. He suggested Maunaloa “serve as a branch of Kaunakakai School,” consolidating administration to the larger school.

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Head of the Class

Monday, June 28th, 2010

Head of the Class

Molokai High School graduate Kealohapauole “Aloha” Will was awarded a $2,000 college scholarship from Foodland Super Markets as part of its Shop for Higher Education program.

Will said she was “ecstatic” when she learned the news. “College is very expensive, and I just want to get as much as I can to help my mom,” she said.

This fall, Will will attend University of Hawaii at Manoa, where she has been accepted into the pre-law program. After graduation, she hopes to practice environmental or animal rights law. “That’s my passion,” Will said.

Will was awared the scholarship based on academics, community service and character. She was the MHS Class of 2010 Salutatorian and volunteered at the Molokai Humane Society and with MHS’ LEO – Leadership, Experience and Opportunity -- community service club.

This year, Foodland awarded $220,000 in scholarships to 110 high school seniors around the state. The students and their families were honored at an awards ceremony in Honolulu on May 15. 

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Molokai Dispatch Awards 2nd Scholarship

Monday, June 28th, 2010

Molokai Dispatch Awards 2nd Scholarship

Molokai Dispatch News Release

In keeping with The Molokai Dispatch’s goal of community empowerment, the island’s newspaper recently awarded the 2nd annual Excellence in Writing and Media Scholarship. The $400 scholarship was given to recipient Kathy “Aunty Kapua” Templeton, for her inspired contributions to the Molokai Dispatch over the past two years. The scholarship, awarded for educational purposes, is meant to recognize recipients’ excellence in media and writing. 

Templeton began volunteering once a week at the Dispatch in 2008. She now works as sales assistant and writes a colorful bi-weekly column called Aunty’s Corner.

Templeton said she is using the money for three courses in Hawaiian culture and language at Maui Community College, Molokai. She begins classes in August.

“I’m so excited,” she said. “It means I can study the language like I’ve always wanted to.”

Templeton, originally from Washington State, first came to Hawaii in 1959 to attend University of Hawaii. Her oldest daughter was born in Hawaii, and she’s been coming back and forth ever since. She moved to Maui five years ago, and made Molokai her permanent home in 2008. She said she has studied hula for the past 40 years both on the Mainland and in Hawaii.

“We hope that scholarship will further enrich her contributions to the community through her column,” said Molokai Dispatch owner Todd Yamashita.

Last year’s scholarship was awarded to Ka`ohele Ritte-Camara, who wrote a Hawaiian language column for The Molokai Dispatch.

Call The Molokai Dispatch at 552-2781 or email editor@themolokaidispatch.com to see how you can become involved in the island’s newspaper.

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Maui News Honors Molokai Star Athlete

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

Maui News Honors Molokai Star Athlete

Molokai’s Kalei Adolpho was named The Maui News Maui Interscholastic League Girl Athlete of the Year last week, making her the first Molokai girl to earn the honor.

Adolpho was the league’s Division II volleyball Player of the Year and helped the Farmers finish third in the state tournament. Adolpho was also an All-Star basketball player for the state runners-up and the state’s third-place finisher in the high jump, according to The News.

“I feel really honored and I guess I am surprised, but definitely honored,” Adolpho told The News.

Adolpho’s brother Manu was named Boy Athlete of the Year in 2006-07, making them the first brother-sister pair to earn the awards.

Adolpho will be a senior at MHS in the fall. In November, she will accept an NCAA Division I athletic scholarship -- another first for a Molokai girl -- when she signs to play basketball and volleyball at the University of Hawaii, according to The News.

“The whole island is proud of her,” MHS volleyball coach Matt Helm told The News. “She is a very gifted young lady.”

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Making Waves

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

Making Waves

Big waves don’t scare Molokai’s Taoa Pou. Neither, apparently, does big competition.

The envy of many young surfers, 13-year-old Taoa was granted wildcard entry into last week’s Sponsor Me Hawaii pro surf competition at Ala Moana Bowls on Oahu.

Competing alongside some of the state’s top surfers, Taoa held nothing back, even attempting the coveted reverse air-360. “There was no pressure on me -- I had nothing to lose,” he said. “There was more pressure on the professionals ‘cause they didn’t want to lose to a 13-year-old kid.”

Sponsor Me is meant to give lesser-known surfers access to international ratings and valuable media exposure. Still, many of the competitors were established names with decades of experience surfing over Taoa, who was given one of only two wildcard entries for amateurs, sponsored by the Association for Surfing Professionals (ASP).

ASP also set up Taoa to receive coaching throughout the day from pros Sunny Garcia, Myles Padaca, Makuakai Rothman and Pancho Sullivan, though he had some trouble concentrating on their instructions. “I was more in awe of them,” he said.

Taoa finished fourth in his second round heat – an impressive showing for the event’s youngest competitor – but as his own biggest critic, he said he’s not completely satisfied. “I could have done better -- I could have beaten some of those guys.”

Still, Taoa said the experience will motivate him to enter more competitions and take his surfing to the next level.

The Right Attitude
Taoa was recruited for Sponsor Me by Jodi Wilmott, a publicist with ASP who helped organize the event, after she saw him last month at the state championships, where Taoa competed in the 12-13 year-old division.

Impressed with his “vibe,” Wilmott invited Taoa to Sponsor Me to “get a good taste of what pro surfing is about,” she said.

With the average age of competitors between 23 and 24, Taoa was by far the youngest, but Wilmott said he handled the pressure like a veteran.

“I’ve been working in the professional surfing world for 20 years and I was so impressed,” Wilmott said, calling Taoa “a very mature 13.”

Taoa is already sponsored by Tango Surf Boards and the Tahitian clothing company Imvad. Taoa’s dad Teva Pou said after last week’s exposure, more sponsorships could be in the works.

“He definitely has the talent to make a career out of it,” Pou said. But for now, he added, Taoa is simply enjoying the moment. “His goal, regardless of winning or loosing, is to keep his heart humble.”

A Head Start
Taoa’s love of surfing started at a young age. “When he was little, he would watch surf videos with me more than cartoons,” Pou said.

At age three, Taoa began surfing beginners’ break at Waialua and a few years later had moved onto to the waves at Rock Point on the east end.

Earlier this month, the Pou family moved from Kalamaula on Molokai to the North Shore of Oahu. Even after surfing big waves there, Rock Point remains one of Taoa’s favorite surf spot.

“I feel really comfortable there,” he said. “I miss it already.”

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E-school Students Progress

Monday, June 21st, 2010

All is well that ends well, especially in the case of Molokai High students enrolled in online classes. Although poor first semester grades in Molokai High School’s (MHS) online courses prompted school officials to further examine the e-school program, second semester grades revealed significant improvement among students.

“The students saw the failing grades [from semester one] and got more in gear,” said Mahina Hou, MHS Hawaiian Immersion program instructor. “They got more of an understanding and better support.”

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75 Years of Education

Friday, June 11th, 2010

75 Years of Education

Nestled in the foothills of Molokai’s east end peaks, Kilohana School has been a community anchor for 75 years. This summer, the community is gathering in celebration of a long and successful education legacy on July 3. The all-day event will feature a ho`olaulea from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and a lu`au from 6 to 9 p.m.

Crafts, games, ono food, produce and entertainment at the ho`olaulea promises fun for the whole ohana, while the lu`au will include dinner and a show, along with a host of other entertainment throughout the evening.

Kilohana 75th Anniversary T-shirts are available for $15, DVDs of Kilohana’s history made by Kilohana students are on sale for $7 and lu`au tickets are $20. All proceeds go to the Kilohana School Community Organization.

Zessica Apiki of the anniversary planning committee said ticket sales are selling quickly. Almost 200 of the 400 tickets available for the lu`au event have already been sold. Tickets will be sold through the ho`olaulea that day, but will not be available at the door for the lu`au.

The VIP guest list for the event includes two alumni who attended the school when it began in 1934, as well as County and Department of Education officials.

“I feel like all of a sudden I’ve become part of this history,” said Richard Stevens, who is concluding his first year as principal of Kilohana and an active member of the event committee. He added that the Kilohana Bazaar held a few weeks ago raised $20,000 for the school and he has high hopes for the anniversary event.

Contact Zess at 553-5446, Edwina at 558-8222, or Moses at 558-8143 to purchase lu`au tickets. Tickets will also be available on select Saturdays in front of Friendly Market Center.

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Adolpho Third in State High Jump

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

Adolpho Third in State High Jump

Molokai’s Kalei Adolpho went into last weekend’s Track and Field State Tournament with only one jump under her belt this season, and came out with a bronze medal in high jump out of 23 girls.

Adolpho, a junior at Molokai High School, earned her third place title by clearing the pole at 5 ’2”. None of the top four girls, including Adolpho, cleared 5’4”, which is the next height up. Ties are decided upon by how many attempts each athlete took to get over previous heights, leading up to the last height cleared, said Coach Jesse Ford.

"The cleaner you jump, the higher you place,” she said. “Most girls were missing their first and second attempts on Friday."

which is what I did last year,” she said. “But my goal was also to get third or better, so I’m happy with that.”

Adolpho’s first time jumping this season was at the Maui Interscholastic League Championships two weeks ago. She cleared the jump at 5’0” with very little practice.

“I’ve gone to more practices this year than actual meets,” she added.

Adolpho has been traveling for basketball and volleyball recently, which has been conflicting with her track schedule. But she hopes that won’t stop her, at least for next year.

“I definitely want to do better next season,” she said. “I’m really not that far away from my goal.”

Softball
Larriley Rawlins homered for Molokai in an 8-5 loss to Aiea High School in a consolation game during the Division II State Softball Tournament last Wednesday at Central Oahu Regional Park.

The Lady Farmers were eliminated from the tournament after the loss, following a defeat by Kauai High School, last year’s defending champions, 11-1, on Tuesday.

During the second game, Molokai began with the lead, but couldn’t hold off Aiea as they quickly came back with five runs. Rawlins scored a three-run homerun to even the score 5-5. Unfortunately, the Lady Farmers succumbed to the hitting prowess of Aiea, who took home an 8-5 win in six innings.

Although the girls fell short of advancing to the finals, Coach Coco Augustiro said the team worked hard and did fairly well considering there were only two returnees on the team this year.

“I’m excited for next year,” Augustiro said. “We’re going to be even better next season.”

The Lady Farmers finished out their season 9-5.

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A Class of Her Own

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

A Class of Her Own

Like most things at Ho`omana Hou High School, Friday’s graduation was a bit untraditional. Far from the pomp and circumstance of Molokai High’s ceremony, family, friends and teachers gathered to celebrate the achievement of the school’s sole graduate, Makana Puailihau Gomes.

The scene at Kalaniana`ole Hall -- the same hall in which Gomes’ great-great grandmother’s funeral was held in 1992 -- felt more like a birthday party than a graduation ceremony. One by one, Gomes’ mother, father, grandmother and grandfather took the stage and held back tears as they described how proud they were of Makana.

“She’s had a lot of trials and tribulations but praise God she’s overcame them,” grandmother Healani Gomes said, adding she saw a change in Makana when she transferred to Ho`omana Hou last fall -- the smaller classes and hands-on approach to learning helped her overcome her shyness.

Makana, who plans to enroll at MCC in the fall, credits the school and its teachers for helping her graduate. “There’s so much aloha here,” she explains.

A Different Kind of Classroom

Ho'omana Hou, a private high school started in 2004 and run by the Molokai Community Service Council (MCSC), focuses on culture-based education. Most of its students go to Ho'omana Hou because they have had trouble in a traditional classroom setting.

“The high school is too rough,” freshman Danielle Mersberg said. “It’s hands-on here, so you learn more by having fun.”

This year Ho'omana Hou’s enrollment was just six students, though in previous years it has had as many as 19 students, according to Karen Holt, the school’s principal and MCSC executive director. Last year’s graduation had nine seniors.

“It’s really a community school for kids that need a different kind of learning environment,” Holt said.

“These aren’t your normal students,” added Walter Ritte, the school’s primary teacher since March. Introducing a new learning style can have a major impact on student performance.

“The proof is in the pudding,” he said.

Holt agrees. “We have seen child after child blossom because finally someone is explaining things in a language they can understand.”

Walk the Talk

The school’s philosophy is to move the classroom outdoors and let the island do the teaching. Ancient fish ponds and mangroves provide a setting to teach history, biology, ecology – all in ways that engages the students more than any textbook could.

“For Molokai kids, the wealth of resources is so amazing,” Holt said. “You can build a curriculum around those things.”

In the last decade, she added, schools like Ho'omana Hou that use culture-based education models have been growing in popularity and legitimacy.

A study last summer from Kamehameha Schools found that culture-based education significantly improves students’ Hawaiian language skills, their internalization of Hawaiian values and participation in cultural activities by bridging the gap between their home and school life.

Back at Kalaniana`ole Hall on Friday, Gomes’ classmates said after the ceremony they were looking forward to their own graduations. Sophomore Che Gonzales added that Ho`omana Hou is teaching them what they need to get there.

“If we stay at this school, we can make it,” he said.

Registration for the Ho`omana Hou 2010-2011 school year is now open to all students 14 years or older. Classes begin August 2. Tuition waivers and scholarships available. Ho'omana Hou is licensed by the Hawai'i Association of Independent Schools. Contact the Molokai Community Service Council (25 Kamehameha V Hwy across from the phone company) at 553-3244 or mcsc@molokai.org for more information.

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