Shelter Island High School, Cardboard Campout

Shelter Island High School, Shelter Island, NY
Project: NHS Cardboard Campout for Habitat for Humanity
Adviser: Janine Mahoney

During the week leading up to November 10, Shelter Island High School's nine National Honor Society members could be found nervously discussing the weekly forecast in the hallway, or sneaking glances at weather.com in class. At lunch, they mused over the best legging-layering techniques, and pondered the logistics of waterproofing a cardboard box. These might seem like bizarre behaviors for a group of seniors who should’ve been planning for their spring class trip, or churning out college applications. But they had a more urgent task at hand.

It all began at a routine Friday morning NHS meeting. The members sleepily stumbled into the school library. The chapter had discussed working with the Long Island branch of Habitat for Humanity during previous meetings, but before they could begin any building, they had to raise the money. They’d set an initial goal of $1,000 but had no idea how they were going to raise the money. They surmised that if even half of their small town's population turned up for a car wash or a bake sale, they would still be far below the funds needed to start their building project. President Emily Gibbs had an idea. "A cardboard campout," she declared, "To raise money and awareness!"

The idea was to have local businesses and community members pledge a certain amount for each hour they camped out on the school lawn, or to make a flat donation. Each member would be responsible for earning at least $100 of pledge money.

Before bringing Emily’s idea to fruition, they needed to have several things in place. First, they needed the approval of the school administration and permission to use the school facilities that evening. Next, they needed a fire permit from the town so they could set up a burn barrel near their “camp.” Not only did the town quickly fulfill the request for a permit, they even donated and set up the barrel. Other community members graciously supplied firewood, allowing them to staty toasty during the chilly November night. Jernick Moving and Storage, a local business, provided the “shelters” - 5-by-3-foot cardboard boxes, just big enough for their heads to peek out and gaze at the starry sky. The local newspaper covered the campout, increasing interest and awareness, while a member's mother provided Chinese food for the evening’s meal.

As November 10 approached, it seemed that all preparations were in place and they had everything needed to brave a brisk autumn night in New York. The only thing that could foil their plans was the rain - and the forecast called for a pretty good chance of it. After school that day, the NHS members returned home to load cars with sleeping bags, flashlights, lawn chairs, and snacks. Each member staked out a box and arranged them in a sort of cul-de-sac, and used the extra cardboard to make a common sitting area out the mouth of their “street.” They then wrapped the boxes with tarps — a desperate attempt at protection from precipitation.

The atmosphere of the cardboard campout was a warm and inviting one. TJ Dalton strummed his guitar, while Kaela Loriz baked apples, spiced with cinnamon, over the fire. Passersby stopped by to inquire about the event or to partake in our bake sale, which gave the members a chance to explain their cause and gather more donations. After sunset, other members of the student body arrived. Soon the party of nine had increased to include half of the high school.

At midnight, non-NHS members departed and the chapter members drifted off to sleep. They departed for home at 6:30 AM after spending 14.5 hours camped out on the school lawn. They far exceeded their original goal, raising a total of $3,219, earning the NHS chapter two days of building onsite with Habitat for Humanity.

The idea of the Cardboard Campout had been to make money for Habitat for Humanity, and to create a level of awareness in our community. But as they prepared to spend one night sleeping outside, they were thoughtful of those on Long Island who were bedding down with fewer luxuries and in far worse conditions, with countless nights of the same fashion ahead of them.

While these members had snacks and dinner to look forward to, others did not. They could add an extra layer when it got cold, go home when the rain started, but others are not so fortunate. Habitat for Humanity provides one of the most basic human needs; shelter. While these chapter members set out to raise community awareness, it was these nine who learned the most from this experience.