Knight In A Box

Cardboard boxes filled the courtyard at Grayslake North High School this week. Although the temperature dipped, students slept within the boxes, a sight that fellow students could see as they arrived today to their first classes on Thursday.

It was part of the Knight in a Box project, designed to bring awareness to the problem of homelessness and to encourage people to take action.

"Projects like this open up other people's eyes to see this problem in our own community," said senior Kathryn Harrsch. "This is a real eye opening experience for those who don't know what is going on in our community, and I think it is a great way to spread awareness."

This is the fourth year students from the Public Services Practicum class spent the night outside the school with little more than a sleeping bag and the clothes on their backs.

The course led by Chris Kubic is offered to juniors and seniors and its purpose is to combine public service with skill based training in project management, marketing, leadership and professional communication.

"Students walk out of the class with better understanding of what needs are in their area and how they can design projects and get people to participate in them to meet those needs," Kubic said.

Kubic said this project gives the students a small idea how those who are homeless live. And regardless if they are hungry or the temperature, students stick with it.

"They have to deal with it just as those who are homeless do," he said. Harrsch said the one thing she hoped was that it would not rain.

"It does sound like a selfish thing because I am used to living in a house with a roof and with heating or air conditioning. It is weird to think we are fighting the elements."

For senior Mike Hicks, homelessness is something he feels strongly about because his uncle was homeless. He said one misconception is those who are homeless abuse drugs or alcohol and that has put them into that dilemma.

"It could be a mental disorder or could just be not having good luck with jobs or the economy. It could be as simple as that," Hicks said.

Associate principal Judy Burke, who joined the group to sleep outside, said these students are aware what is going on because they have studied this all year long. But this project sends a message to the school community that homelessness can affect their school.

“You never know who is sitting next to you,” she said.

As students arrived at school today, they could see the cardboard boxes scattered through the courtyard where their fellow students slept.

"The shock value is half the point," Kubic said.

Through the hallways, students also could see posters featuring facts about homelessness, researched by senior Jessi Barnes.

"Over 474 people in Lake County are homeless. That is bigger than our graduating class," she said.

Senior Kane Smith said as his family moves to Africa, he said homelessness is a global problem there as well. In Ethiopia, seven people must live within the space of the cardboard box. Raising awareness is what brings change, not only locally but globally.

"If you just show a little compassion and care, you can change the world," he said.

Seniors who also participated in the project were Kaitlyn Woodward, Megan Rivera, Kelsey Huffman, Casey Dugan, David Neill and Sarah Hedien.

Kubic said through that night, he hopes students gain an appreciation for what they have. But he also hopes when they leave Grayslake North, they may work with organizations like Habitat for Humanity, PADS or a food pantry, and this may plant a seed to find ways to do more.

"Maybe they will take it up to the next level in college," Kubic said. "Maybe someone will decide to study public policy and try to advocate for changes to help the homeless or major in psychology and try to do something to train the homeless who are mentally ill. You never know. It can be just one experience that changes a person's future direction."

As two sessions of Public Service Practicum are offered next year, Kubic said with extra manpower he hopes this event can expand, and they can contact other schools.

"We can say 'wouldn't it be cool if all the Lake County schools did this on a given night,'" he said. "We're not there quite yet. We're trying to raise awareness in our school and then we can branch out."