Cold-night campout Thursday to raise money for homeless students

FHS Student Council to raise money for district’s homeless
BY BRETT BENNETT Northwest Arkansas Times
Posted on Tuesday, December 2, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/71658
Before the fall 2008 semester ends, the Fayetteville High School Student Council will once again hold its annual homeless vigil fundraiser.
On Thursday, students will camp outside the school at 1001 W. Stone St. and will remain on the front lawn until late Friday afternoon. The event is designed in part to simulate being homeless, as the students set up a cardboard village on the school lawn.
“We’re really excited, ” Student Council President Sarah Brady said. “ We’re really hoping to get a good turnout. ”
The vigil is the largest fundraiser of the year for the district’s Families in Transition program and provides funds used to assist homeless students. During the last two vigils, the students raised more than $ 13, 000 each year.
Vance Arnold, student council faculty sponsor, said he is concerned about raising the same amount of money this year due to the state of the economy, but students have set $ 13, 000 in donations as the goal.
“What we’re looking for is $ 13, 000 of food, clothes or money donations, ” Arnold said.
Arnold said the vigil helps the students participating feel empowered that they can make a difference, and they are always amazed by the unselfish donations every year.
“It allows our kids to see the (generosity ) people have, ” he said. “ I think the kids are amazed every year on different levels. Our kids see that unselfishness and sacrifice, and they want to be part of it. ”
There are 27 members of the FHS Student Council.
The 2005 vigil was notably postponed a week due to extreme cold on the planned night of the vigil. Since the postponement year, the gym has been made available so students could go inside if it gets too cold. Brady said students hope to “tough it out.”
“We’re not planning on (going inside ) this year, ” Brady said.
“They’re bound and determined to stay outside, ” Arnold said. “ It brings a lot of attention to the situation at the schools. ”
According to the Families in Transition page on the Fayetteville Public Schools Web site, www. fayar. net, there were 270 homeless students in the district during the 2007-2008 school year. FHS alone had an estimated 34 homeless students during the spring 2008 semester.
“That we have a lot of (homeless ) children at the high school just tears you up,” Arnold said.
A homeless student is officially defined as an pupil without a fixed, adequate and regular nighttime residence. Some of the money is also used to assist students and families on the brink of homelessness to prevent the occurrence.

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