These “troublemakers” aren’t what you would expect. These three NDA seniors see problems in the community that others don’t notice and work to raise awareness.

“They are troublemakers like Martin Luther King Jr.,” said English teacher Carolyn Brown.  “They want to make a difference for good. They’re people who stir the pot for change.”

In late July, seniors Molly Schneider and Morgan Christensen started the Feminine Project. The project raises money to bring feminine hygiene products to homeless shelters in the area.

“The goal is to provide and empower homeless teens and women,” said Schneider.

After viewing a video on Facebook, Christensen became motivated to make a difference. The girls searched homeless shelters online and saw that all were in need of products and that they could help.

“This is something that is necessary,” said Schneider. “We’re trying to help people understand this is a normal thing and  that everyone should have access to these products and that includes the homeless.”

To raise money the seniors had a car wash, set up a Go Fund Me page and made an Amazon wishlist.

“I always knew I wanted to do something like this to help someone,” said Christensen.

With the money, the girls buy products from Amazon which get shipped to Christensen’s house or they buy products from Costco.

So far the products have been distributed to the Freedom House and the House of Hope. This week they will be distributed to the Golden House.

The project is being used as a case study with HOSPECO. HOSPECO supplies the products that are distributed throughout the school bathrooms. The study is to see how people will react to free products.

Schneider explained the bathroom dispensers would have a 30-second delay so a person could not simply drain the supply quickly.

“You don’t have to wait until someday to help others,” said Christensen. “You can do it now.” 

Friends from lower grades at NDA have offered to carry on the project once Schneider and Christensen graduate.

Danielle Lippert, another “troublemaker,” is part of the Dressember organization. Dressember began in 2009 to bring awareness to sex trafficking.

Last year Lippert’s confirmation class listened to a speaker explain  how sex trafficking is a reality in Green Bay.

Lippert was in complete shock after listening to the speaker and learning that her 13-year-old sister was in the age range of victims of sex trafficking.  That range is 12-14 years of age.

“I thought if I didn’t know about sex trafficking in our area, other people didn’t know either,” she said.

Lippert began doing research and spreading awareness. She learned the issue is more likely to occur with girls but is still a problem for boys.

“It is still a problem for boys, but it’s a much lower percentage,” she explained. LGBTQ youth are also major targets.

Lippert searched social media and found the Dressember Foundation website.  She decided to “pledge” by wearing dresses in December.

She also started her own fundraising page called “Dani’s Dressember.”  Her goal is to raise $500 for the urgent needs and aftercare of survivors.

The Dressember organization encourages members to wear dresses every day in December. The dress becomes an opportunity to make others aware of the issue.

Because Lippert can’t wear dresses to school, she wears a skirt during December. She does, however, wear a dress to her job in the mall.  People, she said, will often comment on the wearing of a dress when it is so cold.  That is exactly what she wants them to say, and it opens the door for her explanation and introduction to the Dressember cause.

If boys would like to participate, they can wear a tie or bow tie throughout December.

Read Lippert’s personal opinion column on her involvement with Dressember in the Opinions section of this paper.  You might decide to cause “trouble” too.