By Keahi Akina | Staff Writer 

David Melzack is a 20-years-old student who is in his second year at Kapiʻolani Community College. He attended Kaiser High School. He was raised in Hawaiʻi Kai but he lives in Mākiki now. Melzack is working toward an undergraduate degree in Botany after his professor, KCC’s own Mike Ross, inspired him. 

“Professor Ross was super passionate about plants and I had an interest in plants and how they work,” said Melzack. “During that class it felt like a sense of clarity came over me and I knew botany was something I needed to study.” 

Upon finishing his first two years at KCC, Melzack will continue his education at either University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa or in Greece or California. Melzack spends his free time gardening, surfing, hiking and creating art. He also works on conservation projects, making sure that native plants are carefully out-planted. Out-planting is the term used by conservationists for when they transplant species from a nursery or greenhouse to an outside location. 

An interesting fact about him is that he has triple citizenship: Canadian, European and U.S. citizenship.