Kaʻū News Briefs May 18, 2024

Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School representatives June Domondon and 'Aina Akamu (far right) flew to the Marshall Islands and met with with educators last week in Majuro. From left are Goodwind Silk, Manny Compass, Jobod Silk, David Anitok, and Loredel Areieta. Photo from Marshall Islands Journal

THE MARSHALL ISLANDS JOURNAL COVERED JUNE DOMONDON AND 'AINA AKAMU'S recent visit to learn about the home islands of Marshallese students in Kaʻū Schools. The weekly newspaper, published since 1970 and its editor Giff Johnson, carried the following story online and in print: The Marshallese presence in the two Kaʻū area schools on the Big Island of Hawai'i has risen to 20 percent, largely on the growth of the Enewetak community that lives in Ocean View on the south side of Hawai'i Island.
    But as the Marshallese student population grew in the two Kaʻū schools — Pāhala Elementary and Kaʻū High Schools — concern increased about poor school attendance, low academic performance and few graduates.

    The rural schools, which Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School Complex Academic Officer 'Aina Akamu describes as the poor third cousin of the Hawai'i public school system, needed to transform their programs for all their students in line with realizing that the majority of Kaʻū graduates did not go onto college. 'Aina, who visited Majuro last week, said part of the transformation of the schools was to build “career readiness” into the program so that when students leave high school, they have skills that can get them into jobs.
    The school now offers multiple community college-based certificate programs within the high school curriculum to get students certified while still in school. Areas of certification include agriculture, construction, health and a variety of others.
    'Aina said a huge challenge was to get Marshallese high school students engaged in these community college-based certificate and college-prep programs. Two years ago, the school was successful in getting two Marshallese ninth grade girls to sign up for the agriculture/landscaping certificate program, which they completed and gained their certificates for in one year. It had a domino effect. “Eight more Marshallese signed up for the college program the next year,” he said. “Now a lot more are in this college certificate program.”
    The involvement of Marshallese Lucinda Anitok-Brokken since January has given a huge boost to Marshallese at the school, and made it possible to effectively reach the parents who previously were not in communication with the school. Lucinda works for the regional education program PREL assigned to this area of the Big Island to work with the schools for the Marshallese student population.

        Last week’s visit by Kaʻū High School representatives was to connect with Marshall Islands leaders, educators, NGOs and others for the first time. 'Aina’s aim is to establish an exchange program between the Big Island schools and the Marshall Islands.
    “Ninety percent of the Marshallese students in our schools have not been here (to Republic of the Marshall Islands),” he said. “I want to bring my kids back home. They struggle. It’s a hole in them and they don’t know why. They need to be connected here or won’t be able to contribute to their communities.”
    He said the Marshallese at the Pāhala Elementary and Kaʻū High Schools still speak their language and “are so proud of being Marshallese.” 'Aina said he wants to start bringing these Big Island Marshallese students to Marshall Islands to connect with groups like Jo Jikum to learn about the nuclear legacy, climate change and other important issues. “I want to get them reconnected to their home,” he said an exchange would be an opportunity for students from the Marshall Islands to come to the Big Island and see Marshallese student involvement in hydroponic gardening, entrepreneurial projects and other activities of interest.
    “Our goal is to build ability in students for future success,” 'Aina said.

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MANY EARTHQUAKES, FEW EARTHQUAKES. This repetitive behavior of Kilauea Volcano ongoing with hundreds of quakes one day and a few the next. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported that "Magma has been pressurizing the system beneath Halemaʻumaʻu and the south caldera region, activating seismicity along faults in the upper East Rift Zone. At this time, it is not possible to say whether this increase in activity will lead to an intrusion or eruption in the near future, or simply continue as seismic unrest at depth. Changes in the character and location of unrest can occur quickly, as can the potential for eruption."
     As a result various trails and camping areas have been opened and closed during the last few weeks at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.
    In addition the summit of Mauna Loa reopened this week for backcountry use and overnight camping.
Information on this grueling, high-elevation trek and how to get a backcountry permit through Recreation.gov is available on the park website.