Students spend night in boxes to raise funds, awareness for Invisible Children
DisplaceMe Night, a fund and awareness raiser for Invisible Children, proved to be memorable for participants for multiple reasons.
Beginning at Waukesha North High School, 200 students from schools throughout the metro Milwaukee area gathered. The group then walked to the Waukesha Expo Center, where they spent the night outside.
“Kids were saying that being out in the rain in a cardboard box was uncomfortable, but the kids in Uganda are displaced every night,” English teacher Kristin Cmeyla said.
Wauwatosa East High School attendees were organized by seniors Molly Flood, Katy Johnson, Laura Stingl and Lawrence Lim. Cmeyla and social studies teacher Tim Arndorfer also attended.
“People felt like they were making a difference,” Flood said of the event.
Cmeyla felt the night was productive.
“It’s really good that kids are made aware and are happy to find an avenue for activism,” she said.
In Northern Uganda, war has continued for 22 years and children are kidnapped at night by the Lord’s Resistance Army, the armed rebels and forced to become child soldiers. Invisible Children raises funds and awareness for efforts to protect children.
A total of twenty East students from freshmen to seniors, attended the event.
“That was the most random group of people I could have ever imagined having a sleepover for a worthy cause,” senior Sugar Todd said.
Flood agreed.
“I think people from different groups were able to bond over such a cause,” she said.
The night was filled first by the march, which covered more than two miles through Waukesha. Afterwards, movies were shown promoting the Invisible Children cause and explaining home building. Students spent time eating saltines and drinking water, the only food available for the night.
Around midnight, all participants participated in twenty-two minutes of silence, one minute for each year the war has been going on. The silence was senior Laura Wehnes’ favorite part of the night.
“I was really impressed by the silence of the entire group,” she said.
East students contributed $700 in pledges to the cause, which raised nearly $5,000 in total. Each participant was asked to raise $25, with each $5 representing a need, such as food or water, to be fulfilled throughout the night.
All participants felt it was a worthy experience.
“It’s so inspiring when kids in large numbers come together to serve,” Cmeyla said.