Maui students Leah Burns, Dominick Philippe Guiwa and Brennan Makoto Tanaka were honored at a scholarship banquet hosted by the Construction Industry of Maui. Each received a $20,000 scholarship. Photo courtesy CIM

Maui High School student Dominick Philippe Guiwa said he noticed that the foam used to suppress fires was highly toxic and contained chemicals that had a long lifespan once introduced into the environment.

As an independent student researcher, Guiwa took the initiative to get a $1,000 grant from the Maui Economic Development Board to look at native Hawaiian plants with wildfire-suppression characteristics that could be turned into nontoxic foam.

“The tests were promising, and I hope to get restarted on the project this summer,” he said.

Guiwa, who received top honors in the Maui County and Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fairs, is one of three Maui students also receiving college scholarships from the Construction Industry of Maui. The awards provide $20,000 to each student, totaling $60,000.

Their accomplishments as students were celebrated at a Construction Industry of Maui banquet on May 28 at the King Kamehameha Golf Club.

“We are incredibly proud to recognize this year’s scholarship recipients for their determination, leadership and passion for building a strong future,” said Claire Thompson, the CIM Scholarship Committee chair and operations manager, PE, for Nordic PCL Construction Inc.

“It’s rewarding to help support the next generation of leaders, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact they will make in our local community,” Thompson added.

Other students who are receiving $20,000 scholarships include Brennan Makoto Tanaka of Kamehameha Schools Maui and Leah Burns of Maui Preparatory Academy.

Burns, a graduating senior, is an emerging landscape architecture student whose academic achievement, creativity and leadership reflect a deep commitment to community and place.

She has earned over a 4.3 grade-point average while completing a demanding course load that includes multiple AP and college-level classes. Burns has served as senior class presiden, co-president of the National Art Honor Society and social chair of the National Honor Society.

She is also involved in service organizations such as Girl Scouts, Rotary Interact and Letters Against Isolation.

Burns said that after her family lost their home in Wahikuli in the 2023 Lahaina wildfires, she has been inspired to pursue work that will help to rebuild a more resilient community and honor the Hawaii culture, perhaps by looking at building materials for the metal roofs and redesigning the ventilation systems.

“I want to help to prevent this from happening in the future,” she said.

Burns plans on attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design to study Landscape Architecture before returning home to help restore Lahaina in ways that strengthen the land and community.

Tanaka, who wants to be a mechanical engineer, has earned a 4.15 GPA while completing honors, AP and dual-credit engineering coursework, and he is a member of the National Honor Society.

He has shown exceptional leadership through Scouting, serving as senior patrol leader and chapter chief of the Order of the Arrow. He completed his Eagle Scout project focused on preserving the historic Paia Mantokuji cemetery, which is suffering from ocean erosion. Tanaka said his great-grandfather helped to build the temple and he’s inspired to seek solutions to help in preserving the cemetery.

“I remember walking on the beach. Now, it’s all underwater,” he said. “I know there are solutions through mechanical engineering.”

Tanaka will be attending Northeastern University in Boston to study mechanical engineering, with plans to return home to help design sustainable infrastructure that protects Hawaii’s natural resources and island communities.

To be eligible for the scholarship, one must be a Maui County high school graduate and enter a two- or four-year degree program in construction, engineering, landscaping or other design fields.

The scholarships honor the legacy of Bob Poulson and his commitment to service, leadership and passion for mentoring the next generation.

Poulson co-established Arita Poulson General Contracting in 1986. He played a vital role in the construction and renovation of more than a thousand projects across Maui and beyond, including schools, housing developments, churches and healthcare facilities.