In Hawaii, Honsador Lumber gives back to students
Honsador Lumber, an LMC dealer since 2010 and longtime bulwark of Hawaii's construction industry, is helping students across the islands through two programs: High School Heroes and Backpacks for Kids.
The High School Heroes program awards five students with a $1,500 scholarship every term in addition to a $250 donation to a nonprofit of the winners' choice. The winners are local students who give back to their community, whether in the form of mentoring other students, tutoring or volunteering in the community while maintaining scholastic excellence.
At the end of each year, one statewide recipient receives a $5,000 scholarship. Within only three years, the program has expanded rapidly as the stories of students taking on substantial projects to better their communities have nearly doubled.
"In the first wave of the program, we reached out to schools to tell them about the opportunity and school counselors nominated their students," says Dawna Williams of Honsador Lumber's marketing department. "Now, we're seeing students nominate other kids or parents nominate their kids."
The 2024 $5,000 scholarship winner, Carter Bozich, not only achieved an excellent GPA, he also participated in his school's swim and golf clubs. Bozich also volunteered during the devastating 2023 Maui wildfires, handing out blankets and water and providing emotional support as people arrived to take shelter at his school. Carter told the Honsador team he intends to attend college.
Another 2024 High School Heroes winner, Brennan Yamaguchi, worked with the local government to enact an ordinance that required epilepsy and seizure awareness in swimming pools and sports centers. In addition to his advocacy, he was also on the varsity baseball team and worked with youth groups in the community.
Honsador Lumber's branches also support the Backpacks for Kids program. In August 2022, Honsador Lumber distributed 500 backpacks full of supplies to schools across the state to help support families struggling with the cost of returning to school. In 2024, the Honsdaor team has donated 1,500 backpacks full of pencils, crayons, notebooks and other supplies to children across the islands.
