Matthew Liebman and Daniel Shmul entered their high school years at Cypress Bay in Weston anxious to join as many clubs as they could. Advised by their guidance counselors that getting involved would make for the best high school experience, they joined various clubs but often wound up disappointed.
“All these clubs at Cypress operated the same,” Liebman said. “There was no creativity, innovation or passion.”
So, Liebman, Shmul and fellow student Juan Salazar decided to provide students with a space to make a difference. Liebman’s grandmother told him about work she had done for an organization called Habitat for Humanity, a global non-profit that specializes in housing projects. In 2017, he and co-founders Shmul and Salazar spoke to their school administrators and signed some papers and the Cypress Bay High School Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter was born.
“You don’t start something unless you’re intent on doing it well,” Shmul said. “We feel our club has a personality of its own and working on Habitat projects is what I love most.”
Working in association with the Broward County chapter of Habitat, students work on buildsites, where they revitalize landscaping, paint the exterior of homes and, if they’re over 18, help add the truss and build the frame of the home. The club has worked on four buildsites since October 2018.
“We wanted a fresh new look at Habitat for Humanity, telling the student body that you have the freedom and the platform to do whatever you choose,” Liebman said.
An impressive asset the club harnesses is their way of connecting with members through their social media accounts that include quality photo and video content.
“Seeing your friends in a picture, that gets you to want to be a part of it as well,” Shmul said.
For fundraising, the club sells merchandise like hoodies and t-shirts on their campus and online. The design for the apparel is made by a different member of the club with each new “drop,” ensuring that the clothing will cater to what high school students really want to wear.
It’s all part of a branding and marketing strategy that Liebman came up with himself.
“Not only is Habitat a world organization but it has the capability to really tap into future generations and get them excited about volunteering,” Liebman said.
Liebman and his team know exactly how to tap into what students their age want to see. The secret to their success as an organization stems from knowing exactly how to get students to want to be involved.
