More than 250 parents and children crowded into Kualapu’u Elementary School’s cafeteria to participate in the final session of the Read Aloud Program on Thursday. Jed Gaines, founder of Read Aloud America in Hawaii, hosted the event.

This is RAP’s second year on Molokai; the program consisted of six sessions and has helped to improve the quality of family life in the community.

Claudette Ka’ahanui regularly attended RAP and said her children have started reading much more. “It’s unbelievable what this program has done for my kids,” she said.

Ka’ahanui said RAP has encouraged her to read to her children. “I never did,” she said, adding she often found herself too busy with work. “This has really brought me to realize that I need to make time. You have to fit it into your schedule, whether you’re working or not. It’s only to benefit the kids,” she said.

Another parent, Amethyst Tuisamatatele, brings seven of her children to RAP sessions. Tuisamatatele said she hardly went to the library, but because of RAP, she now pays a visit at least once a week. She said a big change in her family is the recent restriction of the television, which has resulted in her children finding more productive activities to participate in.

Tuisamatatele’s fifth grade son Griffen said he liked the RAP sessions and the prizes they hand out. He said he now enjoys reading more books and reads at a higher level in class.

His sister, Chloey, has also enjoyed RAP and says it has pushed her to read more. “It’s very fun and you have teachers to read with, and whenever they read it’s very expressional,” she said.

Although her brother may not be a big fan of the new “No TV” rule in their family, Chloey said it has been beneficial. “I think it’s good because it’s helping me read more books and helping us go more outside.”

When asked what her ambitions were, Chloey said, “I want to be a teacher and show kids how reading is very fun.”

Sri Tencate, librarian at Molokai Public Library, said families they had never seen started coming regularly since the introduction of RAP on the island.

Gaines, who hosted RAP at Kaunakakai Elementary School last year, also hosted sessions in Maunaloa and will return to Kaunakakai and Kilohana next year.

As for Kualapu’u, Matt Helm, interim vice principal at Molokai Middle School, will replace Gaines as a local host at future programs.