Audrey Hertzberg teams up with Habitat for Humanity as she rebuilds homes in New Orleans.
Montclair High School senior Audrey Hertzberg will be spending her senior option on a Habitat for Humanity service-based trip, traveling with her peers in her Hebrew school class to New Orleans.
The trip will be facilitated by the Habitat for Humanity organization, and Audrey Hertzberg and her peers will be working to rebuild homes that may have been destroyed during Hurricane Katrina. The trip is not only community service based, but also religiously based, as Audrey will be traveling with other students that have studied for years at her Temple.
“Every year the graduating class from the Religious School at my Temple goes on a community service trip to New Orleans,” explained Audrey Hertzberg. “We build homes for Habitat for Humanity each day. On Friday night, we attend Shabbat services. Some days we walk around the city after we finish and get to see the history of New Orleans.”
Audrey Hertzberg has always had an affinity for community service and helping others, she is constantly working to learn more about what she can do to help her community. In addition, Hertzberg is also active in informing her fellow high school students about what they can do to help the local, national and global community.
“I am interested in social justice and the trip teaches its participants a lot about social action and community service,” said Audrey Hertzberg.
While at MHS, Audrey Hertzberg was involved in a variety of different clubs. She served as the President of Model Congress, Model United Nations, Mock Trial and Jewish Student Union. Hertzberg explained that the primary focus for these clubs was giving back to the community, “In the first three clubs we spend a lot of our time talking about how to improve opportunities for the disadvantaged, and in the JSU we talk frequently about the ties between religion and community service.”
This trip marks Audrey Hertzberg’s second going to New Orleans for community service. She believes having gone already will allow her to plan better for the second trip. Hertzberg plans to make this trip even more rewarding than the last.
“I have done Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans once before and it was a very rewarding experience, but physically draining”, shared Audrey Hertzberg. “This time around I will make sure to stay hydrated and eat well so that I have plenty of energy. I also received training from my last Habitat for Humanity experience which I can use this time around, such as installing home appliances and cabinetry, putting doors in their frames, and using power tools.”
Audrey Hertzberg’s keen interest in giving back to the community makes the trip to New Orleans the perfect senior option program for her because she’s able to give back to a community that still so desperately needs her help.
Come fall, Audrey Hertzberg will be attending George Washington University in Washington, D.C. where she plans to major in Political Science.
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