By: Abby Kromme

Each year, Oak Hills’ National Honor Society hosts an event to raise awareness for the poverty and homelessness that countless people experience daily. For the past two years, the NHS president has rounded up a crew to execute this event. Throughout the night spent outside in the Oak Hills court yard, the students watch informative films, listen to speakers who have come up from poverty, play games that shed light on the realities of homelessness, and experience some of the hardships. Students who attend turn in $15 to participate in the event, where almost all of the money is donated to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition, and canned goods are donated to the Anderson Food pantry. Despite sleeping in cardboard boxes and eating cold soup for dinner, many students love Shanty Town and the knowledge it offers all of its participants. Junior Grace Wagner said, “Everyone is cold and tired, but it doesn’t matter because we are cold and tired together.” It is an eye opening experience that gives the students an idea of how people who are homeless live, while also teaching them to appreciate everything, even things as simple as a bed or a warm dinner. Katlynn Pristas, an Oak Hills junior said, “I’ve never really appreciated my warm bed like that until I slept in a cardboard box. It was miserable, but it gave me a sense of empathy.” She added, “I was so relieved to go back to my home when it was over, but it broke my heart to think about the thousands of people who can’t do the same.”

This year, NHS president Nick Krauser organized the night. After each of the students finished constructing their cardboard houses, the students listened to a speaker who fought her way out of homelessness. Her story helped many students realize that living in a cardboard box is not the only way homelessness looks. Through this woman, Gina’s journey, she experienced this feeling of loss on different occasions in different situations. At many times, so many hardships would be thrown at her at once that it felt impossible to fight through it. However, each time, she pushed off the weight of the hardships and found stability once again. Dr. Mark Mussman, the Director of Education for the Cincinnati Coalition, came to speak with Gina as well. He taught the valuable lesson that anything can help. Aidan Flanigan, OHHS Junior, said he learned that “Anyone can help. Even if it’s just by treating everyone like a human being.” Dr. Mussman also taught the students to say “people experiencing homelessness” rather than “homeless people.” It gives these people a face, while also recognizing the fact that homelessness is a temporary state and not a label of what kind of person they are.

After hearing this speaker and watching a documentary for more enlightening information, the students did some activities to reflect on what they learned. First, students made a story to show how quickly anyone’s life can change. Abigail Turner, Oak Hills Junior, said that it taught her that “life can give you obstacles, but a bad situation doesn’t have to last forever. Things can change in the blink of an eye.” It also exemplified the fact that it is not always one’s own fault that they are experiencing homelessness. Sometimes, life turns against you and no matter how hard you fight, you are at a loss. To finish off the night on a serious note, Nick Krauser brought everyone together; each with a lit candle in hand. He explained how although the night was fun, everyone needed to remember why they were there: to understand the reality of homelessness. Since someone dies around the world due to different causes tied to homelessness every 3 seconds, the students went around the circle, blowing their candles out 3 seconds after the person before them. When everyone’s candles were out, the reality set in for the students of how many died in such a short amount of time.

The whole experience of Shanty Town is a fun way for students to gain empathy for those experiencing things that the privileged could never imagine. While raising money and collecting canned goods for those in need, Oak Hills students are making a difference every year. National Honor Society hopes to grow the event, and extend the participation for every year. Nick Krauser said, “More people should definitely participate next year to support the cause and to raise money for the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition. Actually sleeping outside and experiencing a tiny bit of a person experiencing homelessness’ daily life really shows us how important it is that we help any possible way we can.” So, Oak Hills sophomores and juniors, take advantage of this amazing opportunity and sign up for Shanty Town next November!