Youth Program Dropped

The students of Paxen Huli Ke Alo – About Face! and Jump Start programs – no longer have funding to continue their educational after-school program. The state-wide program helped students with academic and life goals, and served middle and high school youths on Molokai.

State budget cuts went into effect on March 31, and Paxen Huli Ke Alo lost 90 percent of its staff state wide, according to Lehua Kaauwai-Cougar, the program’s general manager.

Molokai’s site supervisor, Jera Pali, said she got the kids involved in the process to try and save their budget.

“[We said,] what we need from you [students] is support letters,” Pali said. “They went on Facebook, they were taking an active approach in hoping the programs would not end.”