John Bernard Flores was one semester away from earning his bachelor’s degree from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa when an unimaginable tragedy struck. Less than two weeks before the first day of his last semester, Flores and his family narrowly escaped the August 8 wildfire that destroyed his hometown of Lahaina. Flores says the fire started just blocks from his home and burnt his house to the ground.
“We were only able to grab ourselves and evacuate,” said Flores. “There were a lot of electricity posts down and the majority of the main roads were blocked. That’s why a lot of people didn’t make it and jumped into the water, because all people were rushing to evacuate, and [it was just] a single road down to Lahainaluna road. I am just happy that all of my family members are safe.”
Flores had been working hard to earn his college degree after emigrating from the Philippines to Maui during his senior year of high school. After the fire, the future was uncertain and his last semester was the last thing on his mind.
“I was worried, having thoughts like, ‘Where are we going to stay?’ ‘How are we going to get up from this?’ ‘Should we just go back to the Philippines?,’” said Flores. “I wasn’t thinking of school at all, but at the same time, I wanted to finish what I started with my education.”
Reaching out with support
Within days of the worst natural disaster in state history, the UH Mānoa Division of Student Success (DSS) began reaching out to more than 550 students from Maui to offer immediate assistance. Nearly 80 of those students were from Lahaina.
“It was a week before move-in and classes started, so we knew we had to reach out quickly,” explained Student Success Operations Manager Wiliama Sanchez. “Students were emailed, called and texted by ‘Bow, the Rainbow Warrior AI Chatbot, to help check in on students.”
That’s how Flores found out about the UH Student Basic Needs program and was able to quickly receive financial assistance and other necessities including a laptop donated from Webflow, Inc., after losing his in the fire. He graduated with a bachelor of science in kinesiology health and exercise science in fall 2023.
“I am very lucky that this program is here to help students in need who have been affected by a tragedy,” Flores added. “I hope this program is going to continue for a long run, because it can help and change people’s lives in small or big ways. I really appreciate them all.”
As of spring 2024, UH Mānoa is still assisting 128 Maui students impacted by the wildfires. When students face basic need insecurity, their academic performance and overall well-being can be negatively impacted, according to Theresa Crichfield, associate vice provost for student success and UH Mānoa dean of students.
- UH Foundation has created a fund to support the student needs program and help even more students like Flores.
“Knowing this, it motivates us to provide resources that the students need to encourage their success, and we want them to know that these forms of aid and assistance are available to them, whenever they need it,” said Crichfield. “We strive to give them an environment they can thrive in.”
- Related UH News story: Virtual cafe expands to aid students with enhanced basic needs access, April 26, 2023
