On Friday, October 25, Kennedy High School sponsored Homeless Night to raise awareness for homelessness in Cedar Rapids. 

Since 2002, Kennedy students have gathered in front of the school to support the homeless by spending the night outside. The event has been successful since the start. 

This year, over forty students showed up to support the cause. The temperature got down to 20 degrees. To stay warm, the students built temporary shelters out of cardboard boxes. The students learned about sleeping outside in these frigid conditions.

“Kids seem to like doing this project and learning a little bit about homelessness and sleeping outside when it’s cold out. You learn you don’t want to have to struggle through that,” said Joseph Benedict, Kennedy teacher and organizer of homeless night.

Homeless night isn’t just to raise awareness. The event raised $1,000 for the Willis Dady Shelter, $500 for Waypoint and $200 for a scholarship fund in Mr. Nees’s memory.

Students who participate do so to make a real difference to help end homelessness.

“I did it to support the community and the homeless shelters and being a nice person,” said Katherine Stone, fr.