May 14, 2014 - Volume 30, Issue 18
The
Molokai Dispatch T h e i s l a n d ’s n e w s s o u r c e s i n c e 1985
Seal Deal: Birthdays and Action Plans
Royalty for a Day
By Dispatch Staff
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ach year, schools around the island celebrate May Day, known as Lei Day in Hawaii. Students at each school are selected for the royal court to represent every island, and perform songs and dances for family and friends. Here, we represent each celebration that’s taken place over the past two weeks; Kaunakakai School’s May Day will be held on May 16.
Taking a Stand Against Bullying
By Bianca Moragne | Staff Writer
W Photos by Catherine Cluett and Bianca Moragne
▶ Photo courtesy of Eric Brown
By Laura Pilz and Catherine Cluett
Kualapu`u School keiki hula danced in honor of Hawaii’s beloved chiefs during the May Day celebration, which featured live entertainment from Darren Benitez.
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The
P.O. Box 482219 Kaunakakai, HI 96748
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Molokai Dispatch
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Molokai High's Royal Court, led by Queen Lucy Wilhelm and King Robert Onofrio draped in blue, performed a joyful hula dance to “Kamehameha Trilogy” during the festivities.
Kilohana Elementary students danced in celebration of the “kaloe kanu o ka `aina” or native of the land from generations back, in a colorful performance.
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Bullying Continued pg. 3
This Week’s Maunaloa School’s May Day Queen Leah DeMello danced to “The Prayer” by Ho`okena.
Dispatch
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Monk Seal Continued pg. 2
The keiki kane of Maunaloa School's court posed before the festivities begin. The school celebrated continuing to thrive with community support, even after the Department of Education proposed its shutdown several years ago.
Empowering Teachers for Student Achievement Pg. 6
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ven though youth of the human species aren’t permitted in Kalaupapa, babies of the Hawaiian Monk Seal persuasion are welcomed. The peninsula has become one of the most popular spots for endangered monk seal births, with two so far this year. According to Diane Pike, Molokai Response Coordinator for the Monk Seal Foundation, almost all of the monk seal births on Molokai occur in Kalaupapa. “Last year, we had 10 pups,” said Pike, “and all of them were born in Kalaupapa.” Through tracking efforts, scientists have found that those females who come to give birth in Kalaupapa are not necessarily Molokai seals. Some travel a great distance to the remote Kalaupapa peninsula to give birth in a safe and protected location. “How they find Kalaupapa, we don’t know,” admitted Pike. She explained that monk seals are constantly moving and travelling between islands. A male monk seal born a few years ago on the west end of Molokai is now living on Oahu, she said. Most monk seals are born between March and June. The first pup of the year for Kalaupapa was born on March 20. The second birth occurred on March 24, but this pup died three days later on March 27. According to Eric Brown, Marine Ecologist for the National Park Service in Kalaupapa, this is the second pup that the mother, tagged as RV06/07, has lost in the first week of its life. He noted that it is rare for a mother to lose more than one pup. Necropsy -- or biopsy for animals -- results from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (MOAA) Veterinarian Michelle Barbieri revealed “hemorrhaging in the muscle and connective tissue overlying the skull.” Although not conclusive, that indicates the cause of death was most likely acute trauma, according to Brown. The cause of trauma is difficult to diagnose, but Barbieri noted that an aggressive male was known to have been in the area the previous day and suggested harassment by this seal as a possible cause. “The [other] surviving pup is doing well and is scheduled to wean within the weak,” he said . Earlier this month, another monk seal birthday was celebrated. Ho`ailona, also known as KP2, a Hawaiian monk
hen people think about bullying, it usually involves playground spaces and high school hallways. But the conversation shouldn’t stop there, say advocates of Molokai’s Families Against Bullying (FAB). It’s a problem that affects communities, families and schools nationwide. Tackling the issue takes a commitment from parents, teachers and children themselves. That was the message delivered last Friday when FAB members and supporters took to the streets to generate a conversation on bullying in Molokai schools. The statistics are staggering: 28 percent of U.S. school children in grades six through 12 say they’ve been a target of bullies at one time or another and 70.6 percent of young people say they have witnessed some type of bullying at school, according to StopBullying.gov. “I felt it was my own responsibility to take action not only for my son’s benefit but also for others,” said Shrene Naki, parent advocate who founded FAB in June 2013 after her son began struggling with bullying at school. “I had to take a stand.” Naki decided the best way to fight against bullying is to expose it. That is why she and an army of supporters took to the lawn in front of the Molokai Public Library to let the public know that bullying has to stop. Waving bright handmade signs declaring “Bullying Hurts,” “Be Part of the Solution Not Part of the Problem,” “Be A Buddy, Not A Bully,” and more Naki, FAB advocates and more than 30 supporters assembled to educate the public and chant to passersby. In response, drivers
The Royal Court of Molokai Middle School prepared for their entrance into the ceremony held in the Barn, which featured live music with special, award-winning guest Napua Greig.
MAY DAY 2014
Molokai Gets $9M in CIP Funds Pg. 2