Homelessness is an issue that over 500,000 Americans faced in 2022 alone, according to a census by The Department of Housing and Urban Development. Knowing about this issue for years, the State High IB Diploma Program tries to do its part in helping lessen it in State College.

Each year, the first year IB students are tasked with creating a project that helps the community in some way and a drive centering around homelessness awareness has been a recurring event. 

“The drive started a couple of years ago,” Amanda Showers, a teacher at State High and one of the organizers of the drive, said. “We wanted to try to connect the high school with an activity in November that would give back to the district in some way.”

From Nov. 6-16, the students held a drive before school each morning, collecting donations to be given to displaced students and community members. Items requested included  shampoo, soap, and deodorant.

The campaign ended on Nov. 17, when everyone was asked to wear red to show support and awareness for homeless individuals. This not only took place in State High, but all over the state, as Red Shirt Day is recognized all across the state of Pennsylvania.

“[The red clothing] catches attention,” Aika Orshybek, a second year IB student at State High, said. “It also symbolizes hazard and danger. It just catches your eye and I feel like this is an important subject and it should be getting people’s attention.”

All of the posters and advertisements for the drive have resulted in favorable results for the IB students. Isabel Olson, a junior at State High and first year IB student, shared her perspective on the results.

“[The drive] went super good,” Olson said. “So far, we’ve had over 100 pounds of donations counted and over $250 worth of monetary products. It’s going super well, and we were able to reach a lot of people not only with our initiatives, but with receiving products.”

While the IB students held this drive at school, they are not the only ones doing their part.

“We’ve had different student groups be involved throughout the years, like student government and Key Club,” Showers said. “Additionally, the teachers union also is working this year, and so in addition to the student drive, there’s also the teachers in all buildings across the district that are kind of having a competition to donate things as well. It’s really evolved throughout the years, but it’s grown into something where there’s now a student led piece as well as an adult led piece.”

Though the drive may have ended, their actions helped impact the community in a positive way. “Homelessness awareness is so important,” Orshybek said. “We as a community need to help each other out, especially in this kind of situation.”