Dhaka, Sept. 15 -- For Mia Palacio, the 2023 wildfires in Lahaina felt like losing a part of herself. In the months that followed, she withdrew from loved ones, angry that her family had no permanent home and that many others couldn't escape. Moving between high schools only deepened her sense of isolation until, a year later, she finally sought help.

Hundreds of students share Palacio's experience of ongoing trauma. The Hawaii Department of Education estimates more than one-third of Maui students lost relatives, suffered serious injuries, or saw parents lose jobs after the fires, which killed 102 people and damaged over 3,300 properties.

While many Lahaina residents are eager for normalcy, therapists warn that youth mental health strug...