Education

Weekend Sports Yield Mixed Results

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

Saturday’s Maui Interscholatic League (MIL) wrestling tournament at Lahainaluna High School saw Molokai finish second overall with 14 wrestlers – nine boys and five girls – advancing to the state championship meet.

While Lahainaluna High finished first overall with a total of 250 points for their boys’ team and 137 points for their girls’ team, Molokai didn’t trail too far behind.

Molokai’s Kevin Dudoit took first in his 135-pound class, while second-seeded Mikayla Pico took first for the girls at 98 pounds.

Other Molokai girls to take first in their weight class were third-seeded Kaulanarose Akaka at 125 pounds and Chelsie Davids at 220 pounds.

from 12 to eight. Unfortunately, they only send the championship team.”

Girls’ Basketball

Although a second consecutive state championship title was not far from reach for the Molokai High girls’ basketball team, Kaimuki High’s 41-32 victory over the Lady Farmers denied them the crown.

Friday night’s Division II championship game at Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu saw the second-seeded Bulldogs sweep the title, leaving the top-seeded Lady Farmers to finish their season at 11-1.

With a fierce defense, the Bulldogs limited Molokai’s lead scorers Kalei Adolpho and Danna-Lynn Hooper-Juario. While Adolpho scored 12 of the Farmers 32 points, Hooper-Juario was confined to four.

The game also saw the final high school performance of four Molokai seniors including Hooper-Juario, Jamie and Jolenta Duvauchelle, Puna Kawamae – all of whom started in Friday’s game.

Coaches were not available for comment.

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Lady Farmers Clinch MIL Tournament, Advance to Semifinals

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

Wednesday at Kalani High, the Molokai High girls’ basketball team won its quarterfinal game against Kaiser, 67-56, advancing them into today’s semifinals of the state championships.

Seeded No. 1, the Lady Farmers (11-0) gained a 15-8 edge in the first eight minutes of Wednesday’s game against the Cougars, which increased to 38-24 at halftime. After a third-quarter tie, Kaiser outscored Molokai by three points, only to lose it shortly thereafter, when the Lady Farmers came back to win it.

The Farmers are going on to play Kahuku Thursday at 7 p.m. at Kalani in their semi-final game.

Last weekend, the Lady Farmers left the Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) tournament the same way they arrived: undefeated. In a two-game tournament at Hana, the Molokai High girls’ basketball team snagged the overall league title by an average of 49 points.

The girls took a 54-18 victory their first game, and then had a blowout second game with a score of 72-8.

“It was a team effort,” assistant coach Kevan Dudoit said. “All of our players gained post-season experience. Not many teams can say that.”

Dudoit said the girls go into every season with one goal – to be state champions.

“This year, they want to come back to Molokai with a second state title,” he said.

Boy’s Basketball

Although Molokai High’s boys’ basketball team was defeated by Lanai Friday, the boys retaliated and stole a win Saturday, 58-40 over the Pine Lads.

Molokai coach Lee DeRouin said during Friday’s game the boys came out with too much energy that resulted in some foul trouble and an “over-extended defense.”

“They came out Friday playing too hard,” DeRouin said, “and Lanai took advantage of our misses.”

The boys came out Saturday more relaxed, and with more patience, DeRouin said – ultimately giving them the victory.

Molokai senior Alvin Ringor scored the game’s high of 16 points, Kamakana Duvauchelle-Andrade followed shortly behind with 15, and Julien Bumatay had 10 to lead the Farmers into a split win against Lanai.

“It had been three to four years since Lanai had lost,” DeRouin said. “It was a big win in a hostile environment.”

DeRouin contributed the comeback to a “great” collaborative effort by the team and said the win will help fire up motivation when the boys face off with Lanai again next week for the MIL tournament.

“They need to rest physically and mentally,” DeRouin said.

The boys’ team finished its regular Division II season at 5-3, and will meet at the War Memorial Gym in Maui on Thursday for the MIL tournament.

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Keiki Rhythm

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

Community Contributed

By Alison Place

The rhythmic sound of Tahitian drums echo throughout the cafeteria at Kaunakakai School on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Upon closer inspection one can see several adults and children smiling, perspiring, and laughing while they dance to the beat of the drums. Welcome to the Tahitian Dance Exercise class, which is taught by Tere Neuhart.

Neuhart has danced most her life, including professionally on Oahu at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Hawaiian Hut and Paradise Cove. Upon returning home to Molokai to raise her family, she joined Moana’s Hula Halau where she has danced for the past 16 years.

Neuhart’s passion for dance and the rhythmic music combined with the drum beats inspired her to teach an exercise class in that venue. Judging by the popularity of the class many share this passion. “I think many of the girls and ladies enjoy dancing to music from another culture while learning basic Tahitian movements. They also get a really good cardio workout from dancing and moving to the music.”

The class is funded by the 21st Century Community Learning Center Program and is therefore free to participants. If you are interested in joining in the fun, register with Joshua Adachi (553-1730). There are two classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays; 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. All are welcome.

Posted in Education, Hawaiian Culture

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Skating to Freedom

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

Nick Keoho, 19, began skating a year ago, “to stay out of trouble.” And that’s exactly why Surfing the Nations comes to Molokai and hosts their Freedom Skate Contest, held last Saturday.

The organization promotes skateboarding and surfing activities for Hawaii’s youth, to keep them free from drugs and alcohol. Surfing the Nations originally built Molokai’s skate park a few years ago, and was asked to come back. So they created the skateboarding contest, now in its second year.

“It’s what we can do to excited the youth…give them a variety of things to do,” said director Charis Bauer. Her organization also does service projects while on Molokai, such as yard clean-ups and working at the mental health drop-in center.

This year’s number of participants doubled, from 16 to 34 this year. Nicole…, a Surfing the Nation volunteer, said she recognized some kids from last year and saw their improvements.

“They’re just charging it,” she said.

The contestants varied from ages three to over 50, broken down into three age groups: under 11, 11-18, and 18-plus – this was the first year the older age group was included.

Although Keoho only competed against two others in his age group, after only skating a year won first place.

Kainalu Dudoit, a seventh-grader at MMS, has also only been skateboarding for a short time – two years – while his parents weren’t even sure he’d be able to walk. Dudoit was born with spinal dysraphism, causing bilateral club feet. Even with surgery, his parents weren’t sure if he’d be able to walk – but at Saturday’s contest, Dudoit won fifth place for his fast feet skills.

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Stand Up to Bullying

Monday, February 15th, 2010

For two weeks, the stories of youth being bullied at home, at school, among friends and enemies were highlighted at Molokai High School. Through a traveling exhibit called Victory over Violence (VOV), both students and the community were provided with learning opportunities on how to prevent violence. VOV also included a mini ‘High School Musical’ called iChoose – a song and dance performance that shared personal stories of peer pressure and passive violence.

“The main point of iChoose is that we have a choice, that we can choose non-violence,” to pressurized situations, said the production’s coordinator, Sharen Nakashima.

Over 500 students from MHS and Molokai Middle were treated to this new part of VOV.

is always an undercurrent to teenage life,” Ornellas said.

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Ka Molokai Makahiki 2010

Monday, February 15th, 2010

Community Contributed

By Walter Ritte

Ka Molokai started 28 years ago in 1982 at One Alii Park. Preserving and enhancing Hawaiian Culture was the impetus for bringing back the Hawaiian games. The celebration of peace over a four-month period reflected well on the Hawaiian sense of values. During the season of Makahiki, all wars were put on hold, as agriculture and subsistence became the focus. Warriors went home to plant, fish and to care for their families and aina.

Today the values of the Makahiki season are even more important. This past year we learned important lessons when the nation’s economy crashed. One lesson was that oil reserves have peaked and are on the decline, in other words “we will soon run out of oil!” The other lesson is that without The Barge, we have only a week of food for Hawaii, we have no food security.

This year’s Ka Molokai Makahiki was on the verge of being canceled for the first time in thirty-nine years, but the winter rains stopped just hours before the games. The constant rain went from being a potential threat, to becoming a peaceful ho’ailona, or positive sign for enough water to grow our food this coming year on Molokai. The large crowd was encouraged to grow their own food at home, and to teach their children to fish, hunt and farm.

This year’s Makahiki was a great success. On Friday, the first day of the two day event, the Intermediate and Molokai High School along with schools from Hawaii Island, Maui, Lana’i and Oahu gathered mauka at the traditional Makahiki Grounds of Naiwa. Here in the lush green hills, they found their Ano Koa Ki’e Ki’e and class champions to send to the Saturday games in the dry plains of Kaunakakai. Later that same evening, in the intermittent rain, the adult men and women went through fierce competition, each entering in 10 games to find the Ano Koa Ki’e Ki’e champions. Kaina Makua, a muscle bound large man from Kauai and Leiohu Colburn, a petite pretty girl from Hawaii Island were this years adult Ano Koa Ki’e Ki’e champions for the second year in a row.

Of course the Saturday games were as great as ever, with the spot light on our elementary schools. As always, it was the hoards of screaming students, the supportive teachers and principals, and the proud parents that always make these games so successful. In the third grade Huki Huki Championship, everyone was cheering for the underdog Maunaloa team, as there was a sense of hope and sadness, with the realization that Maunaloa Elementary School may not be with us next year. The spectators were encouraged to support Maunaloa with their efforts in keeping their historic school open.

Posted in Education, Hawaiian Culture, Letters

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Representative Mele Carroll Protects Small Schools

Monday, February 15th, 2010

Aloha k?kou,

Among those options being deliberated upon to cut our state budget is the merging of small schools with larger ones. I support efforts to cut costs, but feel that our keiki have already suffered enough under Furlough Fridays; forcing young students from smaller schools to commute great distances in order to save money would compromise their educational standing. To deal with this important issue directly, I have introduced HB 2671, a bill that will exempt smaller schools in District 13 from the rules governing such measures in order to protect our keiki and to allow communities to decide what course of action would best suit their interests.

In introducing this bill, I would also like to commend the efforts of the teachers and administrators at Maunaloa Elementary for their consistently excellent service. Smaller class sizes have long proven to be effective in producing excellent students and I am in support of the measures Maunaloa Elementary has taken to ensure that that their students' needs are met. These educators deserve to have the opportunity to continue their efforts and I hope that this bill will allow them to do so. I have also introduced HB 2974, which prohibits the closure of Maunaloa Elementary School.

I am also concerned that forcing students to commute would place an unnecessary strain on the outstanding staff at Kaunakakai Elementary School. As the largest elementary school on Moloka`i, Kaunakakai Elementary has always done its best with its resources and provided its keiki with the tools they need to succeed. Asking the teachers to take on more students would be unfair, and while I am sure they are capable of serving these keiki, I don't see that there is a need to pose such a challenge to them.

The bottom line for me is that the state is obligated to provide each child with a quality education. Our keiki should be our top priority at all times, especially when there is a budget crisis. It is my hope that my fellow legislators and I will be able to collaborate on this matter and suggest alternative ways of cutting our budget that do not place at risk the most vulnerable members of our community.

I am also working to find creative solutions of promoting sustainable financing options for vital cultural and social programs, both on Moloka`i and in the state at large. I appreciate the community's input on such measures and welcome everybody to have a voice in deciding what options would best serve our people in the present and the future.

Mahalo nui,

Representative Mele Carroll

Posted in Education, News Releases

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Keiki Expo Keeps Thriving

Sunday, February 14th, 2010

Last Saturday, Molokai’s sixth annual Keiki Expo saw a stream of fathers, mothers and keiki come together and engage in multiple activities and programs designed to promote a strong and healthy `ohana.

“It was a great turnout,” said organizer Lori-Lei Rawlins-Crivello. “I think our best yet.”

The expo is seen as a “one stop shop” for families seeking out information, services and resources on-island.

While parents spoke to an array of service providers in health, safety and education (primarily benefiting zero to five-year olds), keiki found their glory in the numerous festivities that included face paining, dancing and a large inflatable jumper.

Six years ago, Rawlins-Crivello and Becky Takashima saw the need to make available community services in one convenient event that is now known as the Molokai Keiki Expo.

“We did a survey awhile back and families felt that there were not enough services,” Rawlins-Crivello said. “So we came up with this organization to get the word out.”

The expo continues to thrive with an earful of information, families, fun and the beaming faces of Molokai children.

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Molokai Students Need Help

Friday, February 12th, 2010

Our first Maui fundraising event is in just a few days, February 13. We need to get a final head count in shortly and want to make sure everyone gets their tickets. We hope you'll attend and/or encourage your friends to attend. Help support Molokai families by supporting educational choice. We serve an economically and academically diverse population on an island where there is just one public middle school.

Tickets are $60 to benefit Aka`ula School Financial Aid Program. Dinner, entertainment, an auction and prizes are included at the Maui Tropical Plantation.

• Aka`ula serves 60 students in grades 5-8
• Approximately 70% of students are Native Hawaiian
• Approximately 15% have special needs
• Over half would qualify for free or reduced lunch if they attended public school
• Aka`ula students are more likely to make honor roll at Molokai High School than non-Aka`ula students
• On average, 20% of Aka`ula students are accepted at Kamehameha Schools or another private school for their high school years

In addition to individual tickets, a few VIP tables for eight are available. Please contact Vicki at this email address for additional information. Hope to see you on the 13th!

Mahalo, Vicki Newberry
vickin@wave.hicv.net

Posted in Education, Letters

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Lady Farmers Sweep Victory

Friday, February 12th, 2010

Senior night at The Barn saw a group of rallying fans cheer on the Molokai High girls’ basketball team as they dominated the court and brought home a 52-13 victory over Hana High. In a repeat of Friday night’s game, the Lady Farmers took home a second win against the Dragons (55-20) in their two-game series over the weekend.

Molokai wrestler Michael Torres-Umi stole the junior varsity champ title last weekend with three first-place wins in her respective weight class. Junior Kevin Dudoit also continued to impress with his three matches in the 135-pound division.

Coach Ben Venenciano said that although they lost to Lahaina’s A and B teams, they still beat out Maui High and if anything, this last weekend’s dual meet has made them humble.

“They performed well,” Venenciano said. “We have high hopes for the girls’ team.”

The wrestling MIL tournament will be in Maui on Feb. 20.

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Education

Weekend Sports Yield Mixed Results

Lady Farmers Clinch MIL Tournament, Advance to Semifinals

Keiki Rhythm

Skating to Freedom

Stand Up to Bullying

Ka Molokai Makahiki 2010

Representative Mele Carroll Protects Small Schools

Keiki Expo Keeps Thriving

Molokai Students Need Help

Lady Farmers Sweep Victory

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Education

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