From 18 Under 18 honoree to college student:  What I’ve been up to the past three years

When I was in high school, being involved in the Jewish community was a definitive part of my life. It was sparked by my love for USY (United Synagogue Youth), and led to a multitude of other experiences such as Diller Teen Fellows, the Maimonides Scholars Program, and Springboard school break trips to New York and Los Angeles. Being an 18 Under 18 honoree in 2018 was an amazing experience, and I’m so happy that I’ve been able to serve on the reviewing committee for two years since then to see the incredible work that teens are doing in the community today.

I’m currently a student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign studying special education. Starting college in a pandemic has had its ups and downs, but I love it here. I’m part of Epsilon Delta, an education fraternity, and Alpha Epsilon Phi, a Jewish sorority. I’m also active in Chabad and Hillel, and I love the Jewish community here on campus. I’m passionate about my future as a special educator, and I have a job working with U of I students with disabilities. I participate in the Best Buddies program here as well. I’m also a part of the Student Education Association, where we work with teachers across the nation to advocate for an equitable education for every student.

I have many different interests and passions, but the one arguably closest to my heart is interfaith work. I joined the Children of Abraham Coalition (COAC) my freshman year of high school. COAC is an organization dedicated to educating about Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, while creating dialogue and hosting events that advocate for peace. In a world where there is so much religious hatred, I find this work to be incredibly important. I served on the board of directors for COAC throughout high school, and with the virtual nature of meetings and programming, I’ve been able to remain on the board in college. I helped create an initiative called Peace Camp three years ago where we bring middle schoolers to a mosque, a synagogue, and a church, and teach them how to stand up to faith-based hatred in their schools. Since the start of the program, we’ve reached over 80 middle schoolers, and have spread our mission to high schoolers through zoom peace camp events. On campus, I’m working with Bend the Arc Champaign-Urbana, the Muslim and Jewish Student Alliance, and a student organization called Interfaith in Action to fight against racism, antisemitism, and Islamaphobia. I’m proud of the work that I’ve been a part of, and where I am now in my life since my own 18 Under 18 experience three years ago. I’m so excited to see where my future takes me and I’m so proud of all of this year's 18 Under 18 honorees!

Abbey Finn is a freshman at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she is studying special education. She is on the board of directors for the Children of Abraham Coalition, and does interfaith work on campus. Additionally, she is a part of Alpha Epsilon Phi, and serves on the Diversity and Inclusion committee. Over the summer, you can find her at JCC Camp Chi. She loves the Jewish community both at home and at her college town!