The St. Louis Review recently featured a story about a Nerinx Hall senior who is among 29 high school teens to be honored with the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Model of Justice Award on January 18 at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis.
Hayley Preusser believes that justice is more than standing up for others in situations of wrongdoing. “Justice is standing up for everybody, whether you agree with them or not, whether you relate to them or not,” she said.
The Nerinx Hall senior has found plenty of opportunities to seek justice through service at her school and beyond. Last year, Hayley served as an intern for the archdiocesan Office of Peace and Justice. She helped organize a student-run conference on the death penalty and explored other areas such as ecology, food insecurity, and immigration. Beyond her internship, Hayley has been active with organizations that serve people in need.
Hayley said she believes those service activities are opportunities for justice and to express what Dr. King called for in his description of a “beloved community” — one that is rooted in justice, equity, and peace, and where all people are united by love.