For Emily Adler, the essential part of her involvement with United Synagogue Youth is giving others a place to belong.
“I try my best to reach out at conventions and talk to as many kids as I can,” she said. “It’s one thing to get people to come to conventions but (I want) to get them to feel like someone will notice if they’re not there… I try to reach out and try to make people feel comfortable.”
Known as Emi to her friends and family, the 18-year-old Adler is the regional membership and Kadima vice president for USY and held a similar position in the local USY group last year.
This month’s Salute to Youth honoree, who is the daughter of Meg and Randy Adler, likes that she can make a difference by being in these positions.
“This year we’ve really tried to approach USY as a community rather than a youth group. It’s a place where everyone can feel at home and feel accepted,” said Emi, who is a member of both Congregation Beth Shalom and The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah.
Many of the teens involved with USY have attended the Herzl or Ramah summer camps. Having attended camp at Ben Frankel, Emi knows what it’s like to join USY and not know very many people. She wants everyone to experience the inclusionary spirit she did.
“Freshman year at the spring convention, I went not knowing a single person my age. There were 14 other freshman girls in my cabin — by the end, we were like a family,” she said.
Stefanie Williams, director of informal education and youth activities at Beth Shalom, says she’s impressed by Emi’s commitment to USY and her enthusiams for the youth organization is “unrivaled.”
“She was very enthusiastic about it and came to every weekly program and really wanted to create a place for other people like it had been for her,” Williams said.
According to Williams, Emi comes in extra early to prepare for programs and stays late to assist with the clean-up.
“There’s a nice camaraderie ... Her efforts are definitely appreciated by all, and she’s inspired other people to come early and set up and be a part of it from start to finish,” Williams said. “It’s neat to see somebody find their place and just excel.”
Emi also participated in an organized trip to Poland and Israel in 2010.
“It was such an eye-opening experience. We had a lot of regional board members on our trip. They inspired me to reach out and be myself and make friends without any regrets,” she said.
The content of the trip also provided a learning experience for her.
“Going to Poland, you can read and go to museums and learn as much as you can about the Holocaust, but the thing that really gets you is being able to reach out and touch things and realize people were there … It made me appreciate Israel so much when I got there,” she said.
Outside of youth group, Emi is a senior at Blue Valley North High School. An avid debater, she is also involved with Future Business Leaders of America. She has competed at various levels with FBLA, placing first in the district and third in the state last year.
In the classroom, she serves as a teacher’s aide in the advanced computer applications class, helping students learn the Microsoft Access database program.
“It’s really fun. The business department at my school is great, and I’ve gotten a lot out of working with a variety of teachers there,” Emi said.
She plans to attend the University of Missouri and major in business with a minor in Spanish. While in college, she wants to stay connected to the Jewish community through Hillel and by attending synagogue in Columbia, Mo.
Emi isn’t sure of her exact career goals but says she will probably work at her family’s business, Kansas City Audio-Visual, at some point.
“She’s just an amazing young lady who loves to make people happy and loves to be helpful,” Williams said. “She’s the person you know (who), even if you haven’t talked with her in a really long time, (will) be there for you. She’s going to be successful in the future because of it.”