“She sees life through the eyes of an artist. She finds the beauty in the mundane and messy.”
This is how Bryan and Misty Herbstritt describe their daughter, Audrey Herbstritt, Highland’s Sterling Scholar for skilled and technical sciences.
Her ability to find the beauty in the world has her ready for a bright future.
Herbstritt has earned this Sterling Scholar recognition with years of hard work. She’s taken years of film classes, and hours of editing classes to achieve the scholarship. Her dedication to mastering the art of storytelling through technical skills set her apart from the competition.
“Audrey is a hard worker. Her work ethic will help her succeed at anything she puts her mind to. It will be fun to see where life takes her and how she uses her skills and talents to beautify and bless the world,” Misty Herbstritt said.
Her dedication to film making has made a big impact on her life. Being able to finish anything she sets her mind to is a building characteristic. A positive view on life is a helpful tool that has set her up for future obstacles.
In her four years at Highland, Herbstritt has taken all the film classes available at Highland. She’s taken video production, TV broadcasting, worked on the set of HTVS, and taken a few art/animation classes. As a high school film student, she has enjoyed the creative aspect of film. This all came together with her first documentary.
“I made a documentary about the Gold Cross, and my friends and I are planning on making another documentary about hospitals,” Herbstritt said.
Her documentary not only educates and informs but also has the power to inspire change and spark important conversations. Being able to finish a documentary while still in high school shows the deep passion she has for film.
Herbstritt has always had a love for film making. She grew up making videos as a kid that only sparked her interest. She spends tons of time at the ice rinks while her siblings practiced, and he would steal her mom’s phone and tinker around with filming. Herbstritt wants everyone to be seen through film.
“One challenge in my field is probably making sure everyone’s heard through television, because there’s definitely voices and propaganda, if you look deep enough into film,” Herbstritt said.
Herbstritt is looking for a new way to improve film through the eyes of viewers. She hopes for a future in film that will impact everyone, which she plans on doing as a director.
Another passion she has is the dance of clogging/power stepping. For eight years, she has clogged competitively. Going to competitions throughout the year, and showing her talent is a big part of her life. She has a love for creativity and expresses it through visual effects.
Herbstritt has loads of devotion to any artistic activity.
“Once I get focused on something, I’m very dedicated towards it, which is a good thing and a bad thing,” Herbstritt said.
Herbstritt is currently the vice president of the Highland music council and the production manager of HTVS.
With four years of producing films, she was excited to become the production manager for HTVS and see all her work come together. This role requires coordinating the show with a lot of different people, which has become another strength of Herbstritt’s.
Herbstritt handles classes, leadership roles, and clogging while preparing for college. With so many activities, it could be hard to balance it all, but for her, it’s just a part of life. She writes out everything she has to do and follows the list until she’s done.
Now with a plan to graduate and pursue film making, who was the biggest inspiration in her life?
“I’d probably say my sister, Emmalynn Herbstritt, because she followed her dreams and so I’ll just do the same,” Herbstritt said.
Audrey Herbstritt is happy to represent the film community at Highland as the skilled and technical science Sterling Scholar. She is excited to show her talents through movies and films one day. Her dedication to mastering complex technical skills, combined with a commitment to continuous learning, sets her apart as a leader in her field. Her own achievements not only showcase her talents but might inspire others to follow their dreams one day.
