Livingston HS Senior Gets Nod As An ‘Unsung Hero’ Of School

LIVINGSTON, NJ — Lindsay Haaker is one of the “unsung heroes” of Livingston High School.

According to the district website, Haaker, a student at LHS, was recently named as an awardee of the Essex County School Boards Association (ECSBA) 2019 “Unsung Heroes Student Recognition Program,” which honored 27 high school seniors in the county.

Students are recognized for making outstanding contributions to their schools and communities, but who are often overlooked by traditional student recognition guidelines.

According to Sandra Mordecai, the president of the ECSBA, each of this year’s honorees “distinguished themselves in unique ways, model good citizenship, possess a quiet strength that inspires others in the spirit of volunteerism.”

“I feel very honored and humbled to receive this award,"Haaker said. "I am so thankful for all of the opportunities I have had in high school and this award made me appreciate them even more."

Livingston school administrators had the following words of praise for Haaker:

"Lindsay spends much of her time serving others and participating in extracurricular activities. In addition to her volunteer work with children through the Friendship Circle, an organization that provides friendship and special needs the support friendship and inclusion that they deserve, she also created and runs a service club (Cards for Kids) at LHS. Lindsay is also a dedicated member of the girls’ field hockey team, and works behind the scenes as a member of the costume crew for the high school’s spring musicals."

LHS assistant principal Bronawyn O’Leary added the following words of thanks for Haaker:

"Lindsay is quietly confident, respectful, compassionate, insightful, and hardworking. Lindsay’s main interests are in the areas of child development and psychology. She envisions that her potential career paths will include elementary education, psychology, or public policy related to both of those areas. She knows she wants to work with children and families in some capacity. Lindsay is an active member of National Honor Society, English Honor Society, and Spanish Honor Society.

"Lindsay has been a stellar student while also working part-time jobs, playing field hockey, volunteering, and being a part of the costume crew for the school musical. During the school year, Lindsay is often found babysitting on a Saturday evening and during the summers since 2015, she has worked as a camp counselor at Willow Lake Day Camp. The parents of the campers adore Lindsay and feel completely comfortable leaving their children in her care. Even more importantly, the children love Lindsay as well. Lindsay has been a member of Livingston High School’s field hockey team throughout her years here and she has learned about commitment and time management as a result. She is a reliable team member and a competitive yet respectful athlete.

"During sophomore year, Lindsay decided that she wanted to try working with the costume crew for the school’s musical. She ended up loving it as she enjoyed working with other crew members on design and creation of costumes. Her involvement with this activity often required long nights working at the sewing machine; Lindsay discovered that she has a true passion for clothing design. Last year, Lindsay and a friend of hers decided they wanted to start a club called Cards for Kids. They sought out a faculty advisor and were able to get the club up and running in a short amount of time. The group meets around holidays throughout the year and members put together cards and care packages for young children who are in a local hospital for extended stays. Finally, Lindsay has been a volunteer with the Friendship Circle since she was in eighth grade. This is an organization that pairs teenagers and children with autism to connect socially, play games and work on projects together. This has been a perfect fit for Lindsay as she demonstrates tremendous compassion for others and has a strong interest in working with young children."

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