Most people don’t just choose to become a social worker; there’s always a reason. Emily Greenberg’s reason is that she wants to help kids beyond case management.

Greenberg, a fifth-year social worker at South High, said she worked at several other jobs before deciding on social work. Some of her jobs included a homeless shelter, child protective services and post-adoption support. Greenberg said she felt stuck in all these jobs, as if she wasn’t helping enough, and wanted to work with more people face to face.

Greenberg said a friend who was a social worker and her boss at the time recommended she try social work and let her know about all the opportunities she would have in this career path. Greenberg said she took her suggestions into consideration, enrolled at UNO to study social work and earned her undergraduate and master’s degrees in seven years.

Greenberg said she was working as a probation officer in 2020 when George Floyd was tragically murdered and said she felt it was difficult to work in the criminal justice system at the time. When Greenberg saw an open social work position at OPS, she applied and got the job.

At South, Greenberg’s job consists of helping students with their daily struggles and needs. With no set schedule, Greenberg is everywhere but her office and busy 24/7. She said her days can go from seeing seven students and talking to them about their families’ evictions and self-harming to difficulties with friends. She could also end up in meetings all day either with staff members or parents. Her days may be hectic and always different, but Greenberg said she comes into work with a positive mindset and is always ready to start a new day.

Even though Greenberg tries to have a positive mindset every day, there are times when students tell her things that can be difficult to hear.

“I’m a real person and want students to see me as one,” she said. Boundaries are also a big part of the job because she can’t overstep her limits, but when she sees students reaching a goal, ‘I want them to know how happy and proud I am for them,” she added.