{"id":215801,"date":"2025-05-13T14:57:23","date_gmt":"2025-05-14T00:57:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=215801"},"modified":"2025-05-14T08:16:42","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T18:16:42","slug":"hawaii-keiki-molokai-health-techs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/05\/13\/hawaii-keiki-molokai-health-techs\/","title":{"rendered":"Hawai\u02bbi Keiki health techs fill healthcare gap for Moloka\u02bbi students"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"three
Three Molokai Hawaii Keiki health technicians support their local community.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Three Molokaʻi<\/span> women are proving that healthcare careers can start at home. Benevee Morris, Cherie Gonzalez and Olivia Pescaia all completed the Certified Nurse Aide (CNA<\/abbr>) program<\/a> through the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Maui College\u2019s Molokaʻi<\/span> Education Center<\/a>, with tuition support from the federally funded Good Jobs grant<\/a>. They now work in public schools across the island as health technicians for the Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Keiki: Healthy & Ready to Learn Program<\/a>, a partnership between UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa\u2019s School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene<\/a> (SONDH<\/abbr>) and the Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Department of Education and Public Charter School Commission.<\/p>\n

“Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Keiki has struggled to hire a nurse for the Molokaʻi<\/span> position since I joined as Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Keiki senior practice director over five years ago,” said Deborah Mattheus, SONDH<\/abbr> endowed professor of school health. “These three health technicians have filled that void and have been such a wonderful addition to our team. I am so proud of them.”<\/p>\n

Family hardship leads to new purpose<\/h2>\n
\"health
Health technicians provide no-cost care to public school students at school.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Morris\u2019 journey into healthcare began after her husband suffered a heart attack in 2010, followed by years of medical treatment and a heart transplant in California.<\/p>\n

“As I supported him through this journey, I gained a deep appreciation for everything the nurses and doctors did for us,” she said. “Meeting traveling nurses sparked my interest in pursuing a career in healthcare.”<\/p>\n

After his transplant in 2021, Morris applied for the CNA<\/abbr> program while still in California. Despite challenges during the pandemic, she and her classmates pushed through.<\/p>\n

“I\u2019m proud to say that in August of 2022, 100% of our class passed, and 90% of us have used our skills to secure employment,” she said.<\/p>\n

She started with the N\u0101 Puʻuwai<\/span> Kupuna Program and T\u016bt\u016b & Me before becoming the Hawaii Keiki health tech at Maunaloa Elementary School.<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s thrilling to support services like the Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Keiki dental sealant program,” Morris said. “Our island has faced challenges with dental coverage and a shortage of dentists.”<\/p>\n

Morris hopes to bring programs such as CPR<\/abbr> education and vision screenings to her school in the coming year. <\/p>\n

“I\u2019m committed to being an advocate for our keiki here on Molokaʻi<\/span> and will support anyone interested in pursuing a career in healthcare.“<\/p>\n

From caregiver to health tech<\/h2>\n

I\u2019m committed to being an advocate for our keiki here on Molokaʻi<\/span> and will support anyone interested in pursuing a career in healthcare
—Benevee Morris<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Inspired by the experience of caring for both her parents through serious illnesses, Olivia Pescaia, a graduate of Molokaʻi<\/span> High and Intermediate School, enrolled in the CNA<\/abbr> program to pursue a career in healthcare.<\/p>\n

“I dropped my first class because I was unsure of myself and we were figuring things out as we went along,” Pescala said. <\/p>\n

However, she rejoined the second cohort and completed the program in June 2023. Now the health tech for Molokaʻi<\/span> Middle School, Pescaia finds meaning in her work. <\/p>\n

“It feels rewarding to give back and help in ways I never imagined I could,” she said. “Even in small ways, helping the keiki gives me a sense of accomplishment, purpose and connection to my community.“<\/p>\n

A movie sparks a mission<\/h2>\n

Cherie Gonzalez\u2019s decision to enter healthcare was inspired by a movie. <\/p>\n

“The nurses in the nursing home were being horrible to the patients. I know it was a movie, but we all know that can actually happen in real life,” she said. “I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in nursing because of this.”<\/p>\n

\"four
The Molokai health tech team with Oahu-based senior practice director and dentist provide care for students.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With a toddler at home, she joined the CNA<\/abbr> program through cable TV<\/abbr> instruction and in-person labs at Molokaʻi<\/span> General Hospital. “The experience I gained through this program has never left me and I use it every day,” she said.<\/p>\n

After working as a dental assistant at Molokaʻi<\/span> General Hospital and as a medical assistant at Molokaʻi<\/span> Community Health Center, she joined Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Keiki in 2021 and now serves at Kilohana Elementary School.<\/p>\n

“It feels really good to be working in my community and with families I know personally,” she said. “Being able to make a difference with children in the school setting is great.”<\/p>\n

Gonzalez encourages others to explore the field. “There\u2019s so much more you can do in nursing. I would highly recommend the program,” she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Benevee Morris, Cherie Gonzalez and Olivia Pescaia\u2019s experience through the UH<\/abbr> Maui College CNA<\/abbr> program inspire community care on Molokaʻi<\/span>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":215818,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[223,300,189,167,71,9,60],"class_list":["post-215801","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-dental-hygiene","tag-molokai-education-center","tag-nursing","tag-school-of-nursing-and-dental-hygiene","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-uh-manoa","tag-maui-college","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t