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Education

What Book got you Hooked on Reading? Contest

Friday, March 12th, 2010

First Book News Release

Hawaii won the nation wide contest and now the 50,000 books are on their way to Hawaii.  Thanks to all of you who voted and made us the winner.

The books will arrive in March.  There will be a First Book 50,000 Book Celebration on March 25th on Oahu and the books will be distributed on March 26th. All past recipient of a First Book grant should be on the list to receive books, it is very important that you check frequently with www.firstbook.org  and follow any and all directions. 

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Gymkhana Games have begun on Molokai

Friday, March 12th, 2010

Community Contributed

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Up in the Air

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

Up in the Air

Maunaloa’s sky seems never ending; its windy tendency is perfect for flying kites. A few dozen kids harnessed the sky for a morning last Saturday, when Jonathan Socher of the Big Wind Kite Factory taught them how to make paper kites.

Socher and the other business owners of Maunaloa have a small swap meet every Saturday morning, but was bigger this week thanks to some local artists. A few weeks ago Socher was approached by author Donald Sunshine and musician Lono to provide some entertainment.

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Shattered Dreams

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

Shattered Dreams

This scene is not a drill. Actually, it’s a movie. Firemen find Jolenta Duvachelle dead-on-arrival at the scene of a horrific car accident last week, when Molokai High School acted out a mock car crash to show the effects of distracted driving, particularly drunk driving.

Driving the van is Lee’s ‘best’ student, Keaka Kamakana, who walks away from the crash. Passengers Brennan Lee-Namakaeha, Chenoa Ahuna-Kaai, Levi, and Kanahele Montizor also walk away, but Jolenta Duvachelle isn’t so lucky. The film is “as realistic as possible,” Lee said, and all emergency responders acted as if the crash was real.

The crash shows the real devastation, said Ahuna-Kaai. “Especially on Molokai. We’re a small island, everybody knows each other, and everybody cares about each other.”

The film will be played for the school before senior graduation.

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Math Does Matter

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

Math Does Matter

Competing in a math tournament is never easy. It often requires complete brain function, the ability to think quickly, and superb calculations – most of which are way too strenuous for the average adult.

But for a few Kaunakakai Elementary School mathletes, it’s as easy as riding a bike or tossing a football.

Last Saturday was Molokai’s first time competing in an elementary-level math contest, which saw keiki from 11 other public and private Maui schools participate.

Among the 82 contestants were eight Kaunakakai students who traveled to Maui High School, where they exercised their math muscles and took third overall.

The annually-held Math Matters Competition awarded Pukalani Elementary with first place and Wailuku Elementary with second. Kaunakakai didn’t place individually.

are appropriate, some are hard.”
 
The competition, put together by engineers and former math teachers, was centered around problem solving, and was compiled into several rounds, including individual and team rounds.
 
“We’ve been practicing multiplication, fractions, dividing and percentages,” Hoarai Pou said. “I’m really excited because this is my first competition.”

Potter said the kids (as well as their selective teams) were chosen to represent Kaunakakai based on state testing scores and recommendations of teachers.

The Kaunakakai students were sent to the math competition by the 21st Century Grant, a federal program that provides schools with enrichment activities and helps students meet state and local standards in core academic subjects.


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Olelo Special on KP2

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

Olelo Special on KP2

Airing tonight March 4, 2010 on Olelo channel 53 will be the Olelo production, "Hoailona and the Coming of the Seals." It is the story of Molokai’s monk seal "KP2, and was initiated by Hawaiian activist Walter Ritte and Monk Seal Advocate Loretta Ritte. It is moderated by Trisha Kahaulani Watson JD, PhD, and the Reverend David Kaupu. The goal of the show is to present the problem, clear up false rumor and create momentum needed in the Hawaiian community to save the Hawaiian Monk Seal.
 
Airing March 4 and 11 at 7 p.m., channel 53.
"Hoailona and the coming of the seals"
Reverend David Kaupu
Walter Ritte - Hawaiian Activists
Loretta Ritte - Monk Seal Advocate
Lono Hirakawa - Musician and Composer
Moderator: Trisha Kahaulani Watson JD, PhD


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Kaunakakai Recognizes ‘Gifted’ Kids

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

Kaunakakai Recognizes ‘Gifted’ Kids

Kaunakakai Elementary School had a vision for its "gifted and talented" keiki, and is finally progressing into reality.

The school is re-initiating a Gifted and Talented Program for children who qualify under state and federal guidelines.

In Hawaii, the average for identified gifted and talented students is seven percent. Sandra Czajkowksi, complex resource teacher, said studies have shown these kids are often distracted, unchallenged and bored in the classroom, and therefore need alternative class work and programs to suit their specific needs.

"Many of times these students don’t have an outlet,” she said. “We want to meet and exceed state standards with opportunities to pursue areas of interest beyond the regular curriculum.”

school year.”

Kaunakakai Improves NCLB Scores

Since 2007, Kaunakakai Elementary School’s scores for the Hawaii State Assessment have significantly improved year after year.

In 2009, Kaunakakai’s scores were above the No Child Left Behind Act’s (NCLB) standard with reading at 62 percent compared to 58 percent, and math at 56 percent compared to NCLB’s 46 percent.

Espiritu contributes the improved scores to both the hard work of teachers and students. And with the help of a newly-implemented study that helps teachers create and modify lesson plans to better educate students, Espiritu hopes to see a continued growth in scores.

Called “Lesson Study,” the experiment consisted of teachers teaming up with a specific goal in mind, and then constructing lesson plans that would be taught and observed by other teachers. The lessons were then tweaked, taught once more, and reactions of the students were later discussed.

Espiritu said the study – which was conducted for two months beginning in January – was extremely positive for the teachers, and helped established new teaching techniques.

Currently, Kaunakakai is still a school in “restructuring” under NCLB guidelines, and in order to progress needs to make its Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in two consecutive years.

“We have one year down,” Espiritu said. “We just need to make it this year to get out.”

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Road Closure: Mock-car crash

Friday, February 26th, 2010

Friday, March 05, 2010, Farrington Ave and Lihi Pali Ave will be closed from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. (Molokai High School gym). 

A mock-car crash will be staged and filmed.  SRO, Michael McCutcheon, Driver Education Instructor, Malia Lee, and MHS Senior, Kaili Levi have been collaborating this year to create a film (similiar to Shattered Dreams) for awareness of teens and (distracted and alcohol induced) driving. 

Kaili Levi's senior project is to establish beliefs and behaviors among teen drivers and passengers that promot safe drivng habits by informing them of the high driving risks and consequences associated with distracted driving. 

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With a Song to Share

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

With a Song to Share

Community Contributed

By Diane Abraham

We are indeed blessed on Molokai. The natural beauty all around us is only sweetened by the people who call this `aina their home. Lono, with his musical talent and mana`o, is one such person.

Recently, the fourth graders of Kualapu`u School have been graced by his generosity. Crowding 62 nine and ten-year old haumanu into Ms. Abraham’s classroom, the keiki have learned a mele about our favorite monk seal, KP2. KP2, which stands for Kauai Pup Two (Pup one from the same mother was likewise abandoned at birth and died shortly thereafter), has properly been given a Hawaiian name: Ho’ailona.

Lono’s song about this punahele pup has filled our hearts, our ears, our voices and our class.

Mahalo to this awesome man who shows that one person can make a difference: in this case, in not just one life but in the lives of 62 young people, and no doubt, their three teachers!

There’s even a sweet touch: at a presentation in Honolulu of Ho’ailona, Lono played the recording he made of the children singing the chorus (hui) while he sang the verses. The audience and moderators were brought to tears by the sweet singing of the Kualapu`u haumanu. The recording has been aired on the radio (FM 102.3)…keep listening! How wonderful that Lono has opened this opportunity for the young people of Molokai to express themselves in song. One never knows what the future holds; we can only do what Lono has done: seize the moment and let Akua chart the course.   

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Molokai LEOs Recognized for Commitment of Service

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

Molokai LEOs Recognized for Commitment of Service

The Molokai High LEO Club has won first place in the state in the Small LEO Club category for 2009-2010. This is the first time the MHS LEO club has received this recognition.  LEO Club stands for Leadership, Experience, Opportunity, and is a youth division of the International Lion’s Club. The criteria the board considered was amount of community services done, the quality of the projects, and the amount of participation in state LEO committees. This year the MHS LEO Club’s theme was “LEOs standing not behind you or in front of you but by your side.”  The MHS LEO club focused on starting a recycling program at the high school.  Congratulations to the following members:

Abigail Adachi, Akona Adolpho, Abbigale Adolpho, Isreal Adolpho, Chenoa Ahuna-Kaai, Petrisha Alvarez, Herbert Antolin, Crystalene Antonio, Dohna Bicoy, Camille Borden, Rebecca Carpenter, Christina Carpenter, Jamie Duvachelle, Lesley Escobar, Francine Feig, David Gomes, Durand Jones, Katherine Kendall, Michael Kikukawa, Charisse Manley, Healani Mawae Mollena, Kerianne Mokuau, Melody Ocampo, Mike Onofrio, Candice Pauole, Crystal Puaoi-Kawai, Kawena Puhi, Cristina Rabino, Mahailia Rapanot-McGuire, Kesha Reyes, Denichel Ruiz, Darianne Ruiz, Susan Smith, Michal Torres-Umi, Louisa Torres-Umi, Kalani Wainwright, Tarren Wakuta, Aloha Will, Joe Yamamoto.

Julie De George and Malia Lee, Club Advisors.

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