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HILLSBOROUGH: Student ready for "Mr. Habitat" challenges

   Hillsborough High School student Phil Li will be vying to be named “Mr. Habitat” Friday, as members of six area high school Raritan Valley Habitat Youth Councils entertain a crowd in a fundraising project at Bridgewater Commons Mall.
   From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Phil and his fellow “Mr. Habitat” hopefuls — Philippe Trodjian, of Watchung Hills High School, Matt Young, of North Hunterdon High School, Brett Wankel, of Bridgewater Raritan High School, Mike Edelstein, of Hunterdon Central High School, and Amit Thakrar, of Ridge High School — will sing and dance.
   Voting will not be done by judges, but by donations to Habitat Youth. A $5 donation for admission affords spectators shopping discounts, door prizes and gift bags to the first 200 attendees.
   The contestants and their escorts will model spring wear from several participating stores and prom wear complements of Men’s Wearhouse & Tux and Cache. Splash Salon is styling hair and Bare Escentuals is doing the escorts makeup.
   Habitat Club members belong to the Raritan Valley Habitat Youth Council, which meets monthly to raise awareness, raise funds and raise roofs by participating in the building of a Habitat home. Habitat Youth is helping to sponsor one of the four homes currently being built in Franklin Township (Somerset) and this fundraiser supplements efforts of the individual school clubs.
   ”The event is designed to reach out to the community and especially the high school students regarding Habitat Youth,” Lisa Fielding of Raritan Valley Habitat said. “While we hope to raise a nice sum for the Habitat Youth house sponsorship, we want this to be fun, and it is a great way to bring students from various high schools together with great purpose.”
   In addition to the high schools with contestants, students from Pingry, Voorhees High School, Somerville High School and Montgomery High School are helping to organize the event.