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Education

New Kilohana Principal Living His Dream

Friday, August 14th, 2009

By Dan Murphy

When Richard Stevens first came to Hawaii to teach in 1989, he dreamed that he would one day live on Molokai. After 20 long years, Stevens’ dream finally came true when he was named the new principal of Kilohana Elementary School this summer.

Kilohana was also his dream school. Ten years ago, Stevens met former Kilohana principal Stephen Petro at a conference and immediately knew that was the place for him.

“I was just so impressed by all the teachers, by the idea of a school of 100 [students] where everybody knew everybody,” he said. “I always just thought it was a fantasy, I never really thought I’d get a chance to do it.”

The school has gone through a string of principals since Petro. The most recent, Denise Kelly, was hired as the new principal for Molokai High School this summer. When the Kilohana position opened up, Stevens jumped at the opportunity.

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No Keiki Left Behind

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

Kilohana and Kaunakakai schools meet state assessment standards.

By Catherine Cluett

Two Molokai schools are celebrating this month – they met Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), a state assessment that measures reading and math proficiency levels. AYP is part of the national No Child Left Behind program (NCLB) signed into law in 2002. Kaunakakai Elementary School and Kilohana Elementary School were the only two schools in the Complex Area of Hana-Lahainaluna-Lanai-Molokai to reach the benchmark. The Complex Area consists of 11 schools, elementary through high school level.

“More and more of our students are meeting proficiency,” said Kaunakakai Principal Janice Espiritu.

The test is administered to over 92,500 Hawaii students in grades 3 through 8 and again in grade 10. The tests are given in April, and preliminary results for the 2008-09 school year were released in mid-July.

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Molokai High Hires Principal and Vice Principal

Monday, August 3rd, 2009

By Melissa Kelsey

After last school year closing in leadership limbo, Molokai High School has hired a new principal and vice principal, after the June 31 retirement of both former Principal Linda Puleloa and former Vice Principal Earl Nakamura.

Meet the Principal
New Acting Principal Denise Kelly has a long history of working with Molokai schools. Previously, she worked as Acting Principal of Kilohana Elementary and as a District Educational Specialist, overseeing special education at Molokai and Lanai schools. Kelly said two of her goals for Molokai High are to ensure that that the school meets standards for No Child Left Behind and to prepare students for college. Her title will change from Acting Principal to Principal after she completes the state-required Administrator Certification for Excellence (ACE) program.

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Molokai Receives Donation to Athletic Department

Friday, July 31st, 2009

Press Release

Athletic budget cuts have hit schools hard around the state, but for the neighbor island schools of Molokai and Lanai, it means traveling to off-island league games will be nearly impossible. Much of the athletic budgets of these schools go toward travel costs, according to Molokai High School Athletic Director Camie Kimball. But help is on its way.

Keith Amemiya, Executive Eirector of Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA), announced Tuesday he and his wife, Bonny, have made a personal donation of $20,000 to help the athletic departments of Molokai and Lanai high schools', according to the Maui News.

''As the HHSAA executive director, I feel an obligation to do as much as I can to support our high school athletic programs,'' Keith Amemiya said. ''Even if it means donating from our personal funds.”

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Molokai Local Wins Chanel Race

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

Molokai Local Wins Chanel Race

Ekolu Kalama record-breaking first in standup paddling division
Story by Kodi Piirto, Photo by Bernie Baker

The 2009 Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard Race took off Sunday morning with emotions running high and adrenaline pumping. As the sun came over the horizon dozens of competitors from around the world applied their sunscreen, adjusted equipments and prepared for what is considered to be the most brutal physical and mental challenge in the world for watermen.

“It’s the Super Bowl of stand up paddle boarding,” said local favorite Ekolu Kalama as he made his way to the beach before the event.

 At 7:30 am competitors set off from Kaluakoi beach through the Molokai Channel (Kaiwai Channel) on a 32-mile trek across open-ocean with 25 mph winds at their back. The Molokai Channel is one of the most dangerous waterways in the world with competitors taming swells that can range anywhere from 3 to 15 feet. With unpredictable waves and unwieldy currents this competition can push even a veteran’s body and mind to the limit.

Making sense of the mayhem, local champ Ekolu Kalama crossed the finish line first in the men’s unlimited standup paddling division with a time of 5:02:06. Kalama takes home the winning the purse of $3,000.

“He beat the world record by 1 hour.  Molokai should be really proud of him,” said race director Mike Takahashi

This was the first year that Ekolu did not partner alongside his cousin David Kalama as a relay team in the race, “I have mixed feelings; I definitely want to win and will have to beat Dave to do it.”

For the past 3 years Ekolu and his cousin Dave have competed together and won the relay division of the race.

Molokai native Carlos Kuhn, partnered with Kainoa Beaupr, also finished a respectful fourth in the standup team stock division with a time of 5:46:19.

For the eighth consecutive year Jamie Mitchell won the paddleboard division of the race. This year he took the gold with a time of 4:58:25, beating his closest competitor Hawaii’s Brian Rocheleau by 22:28.

This year’s new sponsors Rainbow Sandals and Honolua Surf Co. attracted a record number of competitors. Of 125 entries, only 5 failed to finish the race.

MAJOR RESULTS:
(For complete results
www.pacificsportevents.com)

Unlimited - Elite
Jamie Mitchell (Aus) 4:58:25
Brian Rocheleau (HI) 5:20:53
Tim Foran (Aus) 5:30:45

Stock - Elite
Mikey Cote (HI) 5:32:25

Women Overall
Kanesa Duncan (HI) 6:29:29
Bianca Lee (Aus) 6:46:08

SUP Solo Unlimited
Ekolu Kalama (HI) 5:02:06
Guy Pere (HI) 5:22:01
Scott Gamble 5:22:39

SUP Solo Woman
Jenny Kalmbach (Big Island) 5:48:31

SUP Team Unlimited
Aaron Napoleon &
Kai Bartlett 4:45:17

SUP Team Stock
Noland Martin & Greg Pavao (HI) 5:28:51

 

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The Power of Youth

Monday, July 27th, 2009

The Power of Youth

Molokai team works to restore native habitats.   

Hawaii Youth Conservation Corps Press Release

Molokai youth participating in the Hawaii Youth Conservation Corps internship program completed a work project at Pu`u Hoku Ranch last week. First row, left to right: DJ Kaai, Keaka Kaiama, Kailana Ritte-Camara and Ray Brito. Second row: CJ Kaiaama, Kaipo Dudoit, Keani Acasio, Kuuipo Lenwai, Falon Will-Staudenraus and Kaulana Buchanan.  

Molokai youth were given the chance to work in the Hawaii Youth Conservation Corps this summer. As interns, they not only serve their community by restoring native habitats, they also earn three University of Hawaii college credits while doing so. This month, the Molokai group spent their time at Mo`omomi, Kamakou, Kaho`olawe and Pu`u Hoku Ranch. Throughout each project, the team furthered their education on native plants and invasive species, completing papers and presentations on topics they studied throughout the program.

“I think any time you get young people involved and teach them something about the place they live, it has very lasting effects,” said Brittney Orton at the Hawaii Youth Conservation Corps. “They can now take the knowledge and skills they have gained through this program and apply it to their lives.”    





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Solar Scholars

Saturday, July 25th, 2009

Renewable energy system installed at Kualapu`u School.

ProVision Solar Press Release

When Lydia Trinidad, principal of Kualapu’u School, saw the school’s electricity costs go through the roof last year, she knew it was time to do something. Last year, the average electricity rate at Kualapu`u School was the highest rate in the United States. With the prospect of that cost going up even higher, the school’s local advisory panel decided to install a net energy metered photovoltaic solar system.

“We knew we needed a way to keep our costs in check and invest in a system that would keep our costs stable, as the price of power fluctuates,” said Trinidad.

After receiving a number of bids for the project, Trinidad chose to work with ProVision Solar, a company based in Hilo. ProVision president Marco Mangelsdorf said the system should produce about 20 percent of the daily power needs at Kualapu`u School. The system has the capacity to cover over half of the school’s daily power needs if the school chooses to expand the system. It is the largest renewable energy system of its kind for any public school in the state of Hawaii.

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‘Ohana Offering

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

We proudly announce that our Molokai Little League Junior Division baseball team members are the undefeated 13 and 14 year old District III Champions. Our team has worked hard to earn this opportunity to qualify for the Hawaii State 2009 Junior Division Tournament, scheduled for July 24-28. The tournament will take place at Hans L’Orange Field in Waipahu, Oahu.

At this time we are asking for assistance from our friends, family and businesses within our community to help defer the cost of our air and ground transportation and possibly housing, meals and other incidentals.

If you have any questions or are in a position to be of assistance, please contact Hala Pa-Kala, the Junior Division Vice President at 658-0260 (cell) or 553-5391 (home).

We do realize that these are difficult economic times for all, and we truly appreciate any and all assistance we receive.
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Keiki Crops

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

Keiki Crops

New garden for Kilohana Elementary

By Melissa Kelsey


On top of reading, writing and arithmetic, growing fresh produce will be part of the school day at Kilohana Elementary School. For the patch of land behind the school, members of the group Ka`ano imagine a community garden.

“This is one of the things that we have been wanting to do for a long time,” said Charlene Martin, a volunteer at Ka`ano, the organization known as the Molokai Seed Bank.  

In addition to growing food, keiki will also learn how to preserve seeds, according to Ka`ano volunteer Jade Bruhjell. One of Ka`ano’s goals is to establish a seed bank of heirloom seeds on Molokai that Bruhjell said could decrease the island’s dependence on outside food sources.     

“You start with the children,” said Martin. “We are going to teach them how to save their seeds, so they will have quality seeds of their own.”

Martin said Ka`ano members and Kilohana Elementary School teacher Mapuana Hanapi were both interested in a garden project for the school, so they worked together to brainstorm ideas. The school may use the garden’s produce to supplement its cafeteria food options and generate trade opportunities for the school, according to Martin.

“Hopefully, this will be a foundation of understanding for this generation of youth that will bring a resonance between the natural land and people,” said Bruhjell.      

Martin said in the future, Ka`ano hopes to tackle similar projects at other Molokai schools.
 
Cultivating the Past
The idea of growing food at Kilohana Elementary School is not new. Garden project volunteer Russel Phifer attended the school in the 1960s. At the time he was a student, he said there was an educational farm at the school. Keiki worked on farm projects, recycling as much as possible for future use.

“It is good to know the past, and how things were before,” said Phifer.  

Molokai schools also have a history of producing other food products, according to Phifer, who said Molokai High School used to run a dairy farm and produce milk.

“Back then, everything was produced here,” said Phifer, remembering how the island used to be less dependent on the barge. “Now, everything is packaged and shipped in,” he said.  


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Ekolu Kalama Wins Major Stand-Up Paddle Race in Germany

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

Ekolu Kalama wins the both the sprint and distance division races at the Stand-Up Paddle Racing World Cup in Germany amidst 27,000 spectators last weekend. (skip to 1:35 in the video below)


By Todd Yamashita

Molokai boy, Ekolu Kalama made some major waves in the otherwise placid waters of Hamburg, Germany last weekend. Kalama won both the 200 meter sprint and the 10,000 meter (roughly four miles) distance race in the first ever Standup Paddling World Cup.

With over 27,000 fans and 143 competitors, Kalama represented Molokai and Hawaii well in one of the fastest growing sports world wide. “It was really good and rewarding – but also tiring. There was stiff competition,” said Kalama in a televised interview.

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