New Berlin Eisenhower senior shipping appreciation overseas

High School Hot Shot - Taylor Freitag

It all started with a school project that put this student athlete on the path she was meant to walk. That's what makes this New Berlin Eisenhower senior this week's FOX6 High School Hot Shot.

NEW BERLIN, Wis. - It all started with a school project that put this New Berlin Eisenhower senior on the path she was meant to walk.

It all started with connecting with her community in an even deeper way.

That's what makes Taylor Freitag this week's FOX6 High School Hot Shot.

"I've always been into a lot of sports and stuff like that, but I definitely love softball," said Freitag. "And actually, this past year for Eisenhower, we decided to take a little trip to state. We actually came up with a saying that I think will forever be the saying, and it's Roll Lions."

But softball is not everything for Freitag.

This year, she and her mom came up with the idea of Hugs for Heroes.

Freitag is shipping out care packages for our troops.

"If they can't spend, obviously, the holidays at home, then they have a little gift from people who are appreciative of their service and the things that they do for us," Freitag said. "I was very happy the amount of support we had from the VFW and some of our surrounding community. It was definitely great to see the kind of people who just wanted to help."

Freitag just wants to show her appreciation to the men and women that serve this country.

"I've definitely thought about it like, okay, what are these people going to feel when they get a package like this," she said. "Maybe they will be happy. Maybe they'll be joyful. Maybe they'll tear up even a little bit thinking they can't be home for Christmas."

Freitag will be sending off her packages soon. She also hopes to keep this going for future shipments.

"You can say like, thank you for your service and little things like that," she said. "But going above and beyond can make a big difference in somebody's life. It's just like the motivation, the drive to want to do something. I guess bigger than myself."