Pono ke hana..iho mai na lani

Team 434 is the VEX IQ Robotics team under the STEM Robotics program of Molokai Middle School. We are 7th and 8th grade students and teachers that actually make up four individual teams known as Team 434K Kalo Farmers, Team 434M Menehune Farmers, Team 434N Na'iwa Warriors, and Team 434P Palaau Fishermen.

We just concluded a successful 2017-2018 regular season, and have been blessed with the following awards from the following events:

1. Lahaina VEX IQ Tournament
     (see http://bit.ly/2GcJo2w):
     A. Teamwork 2nd Place Award: 434K
     B. Teamwork 2nd Place Award: 434M 

2. STEM Day @ MMS/Molokai VEX IQ League Championships (see http://bit.ly/2zkfQM3):
     A. Design Award: 434N
     B. STEM Research Project Award: 434M
     C. Excellence Award: 434M (State qualified)

3.  Valley Isle VEX IQ Tournament
     (see http://bit.ly/2ibnl1L):
     A. Teamwork Champion Award: 434K (State qualified)
     B. Excellence Award: 434K (State qualified)

4. Hawaii State Middle School VEX IQ Championship
     (see http://bit.ly/2yklFYX):
     A. Teamwork Champion Award: 434M
          (Worlds qualified)
     B. Teamwork 2nd Place Champion Award: 434K         
          (Worlds qualified) 

While traveling to these events, we were also blessed to visit, support, and network with additional VEX IQ teams on Molokai, Maui, and Oahu as part of our ongoing Service-Learning mission to promote and sustain Robotics and STEM Education in Hawaii.

Our theme and motto for the 2017-2018 season comes from the  ‘Olelo No’eau (Hawaiian Proverb) that says, “O ka pono ke hana ‘ia a iho mai na lani--Continue to do good until the heavens come down to you” or in other words, “Blessings come to those who persist in doing good.”  It has been our founding philosophy--and our ongoing testimony--that by continuing to give service back to our communities, we will continue to receive blessings of achievement and success.  Our first year of success in 2013-2014 was met with overwhelming community support and aloha--that started the cycle in which we gave back, and continue to give back, as part of our Kuleana (cultural duty) to Hawaii and its keiki.

At this time, Team Kalo and Team Menehune have once again made it to the VEX World Championships in Louiseville, KY in April as only two of nine teams representing the State of Hawaii in the Middle School Division.  We are happy and honored to continue to repesent our school, island, county, and state at this event, and hope to make everyone proud.

To help send Team Kalo and Team Menehune to Worlds, we have again started a GoFundMe Campaign. The funds raised will be used for travel to Louisville, Kentucky from April 26th to May 3rd. The event will be held at the Kentucky Exposition Center, and can be viewed on the webcast tab at http://bit.ly/2F7fJGu . If you wish to support--and continue to support--Team 434 in their ongoing goals of achievement and service, please support this effort.

For those who prefer, donations can also be directed and mailed to:

Molokai Middle School
PO Box 443
Hoolehua, HI 96729

Organization Tax ID: 99-0266482

For more information, go to the following links:
VEX IQ Ringmaster Challenge
Molokai Robotics League Facebook Page
STEM Robotics Facebook Page
VEX Worlds Official Site
Molokai Middle School HomePage