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Liza Sussman radiates more energy than a nuclear power
plant.
Liza Sussman
An 18-year-old senior honors student at Palmetto
Senior High School and a Miami Herald Silver Knight nominee, Sussman's
activities resume is six pages long, single-spaced.
Of all the things she is involved in, Sussman
immediately says her favorite is her tenure as president of the
Southeast Region of the North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY).
The region covers five states and counts more than 900 members.
"It keeps me busy and I love it," she said.
Some of her most memorable projects for NFTY include
the annual Leadership Training Institute for more than 200 future NFTY
officers and Camp Jenny.
Under Sussman's direction, the Leadership Training
Institute this year focused on a quote from Rabbi Hillel as its main
theme, part of which is, "If I am not for myself, who will be for
me?"
Sussman used the quote as a kickoff point to help her
peers discuss contemporary issues of concern to teens, such as
anorexia, drunk driving, pressured sex, steroid addiction and other
topics.
"NFTY is the umbrella organization of temple
youth groups throughout the United States and the officers will be
going back to their own communities to develop programming to help
teens in their area," she explained. "So, we wanted to give
them an understanding of some of the issues that are out there,"
To help get the messages across clearly, Sussman
developed stories about each topic and, with her board, acted it out
for the institute participants. For example, she portrayed a girl
suffering from anorexia and talked about the issue from her
character's point of view.
"We wanted to give everyone a more personal
perspective of the problems," she said.
Another project that Sussman has most enjoyed is Camp
Jenny, a summer camp experience for children from the inner city of
Atlanta.
"We take 150 kids from Atlanta's inner city for a
four-day weekend to a beautiful summer camp in Cleveland,
Georgia," she said. "Most of these kids have never seen a
lake or been swimming or hiking or anything like that. We have so much
fun!"
And that's just a summary of the first two paragraphs
on the first page of Sussman's resume. She also has been a volunteer
for numerous other worthwhile programs, including a weekly food
distribution for the homeless, for the annual Christmas party at a
men's half-way house, for a Mitzvah Day celebration, for a local
family shelter, for her temple's choir.
And, in perfect harmony with these activities, Sussman
is an outstanding vocalist and the president of Palmetto High's
renowned Omega Show Choir.
"I've been singing my whole life," she
explained. "My father is a beautiful singer. He sings in temple
and was a member of a barbershop quartet. Ever since I was very little
I'd sing with him. We'd go for long walks and sing the whole way. And
once, when his barbershop quartet met at our house, I sang with
them."
But Sussman said while she loves to sing, she does not
enjoy the regimented style of a traditional classic choir.
"I like to move around," she said, "so
I joined the Omega Show Choir. We do routines and dance and sing at
the same time."
The choir has earned many prestigious awards,
including the Junior Orange Bowl Caroling Competition two years
running, and performs for schools, nursing homes and other
organizations throughout South Florida.
However a professional career as a singer is not
Sussman's goal.
"I have always been interested in psychology, I
guess because people tend to confide in me, and I've learned to become
a good listener," she said. "I'd love to have a career as a
child psychologist specializing in teenagers, because I think there
are so many creative ways to reach them that have not yet been
explored, maybe even through music therapy.
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