Program Supports Student Advancement

Ke Kukui Mohala News Release

In our opio lies Molokai’s greatest potential.  By providing pathways to helping them realize their vision of success, we are investing in their individual future and in our community.

Ke Kukui Mohala 2013 Graduates: (Left to right starting at top) Ronalyn Carino (UH Maui College, Culinary Arts), Tyshai Mawae (UH Maui College, Clinical Research), Jolambereen Mawae (UH Manoa, Medical-Anesthesiology), Abigail Adachi (Brigham Young University Hawaii, Music), Francis Ventura (UH Maui College, Nursing), Jake Sakamoto (UH Manoa, Business), Brandon Hanaoka (Honolulu Community College, Engineering/Architecture), Hauoli Falealii (University of Nevada Las Vegas, Sports Medicine)

With this vision at heart, UH Maui College, Molokai, the Queen Liliuokalani Children’s Center, the Educational Opportunity Center and the Interval House of Molokai partnered to initiate a program called Ke Kukui Mohala.

The main goal of the program is to support families in the process of preparing Molokai High School seniors to successfully achieve their post-secondary goals and objectives.

The first cohort started in October 2012 with student and parent participants attending a series of workshops focused on preparing for and transitioning to higher education.  The group met once a month and covered a variety of topics including college admissions, financial aid, scholarships, housing, budgeting, academic planning and more.

The first cohort graduated from the program May 1 with plans to start college this fall.  The first year was an overwhelming success and we are proud and excited for our first Ke Kukui Mohala opio to embark on their college journeys that are taking them across Hawaii and to the mainland.

The program will be accepting applicants for students and their families who will be graduating in 2014.  For more information, please contact one of the following partners for more information:  Kelley Dudoit or Nahiwa Naki at 553-4490, or Honey-Girl English at 553-5989.