From left, Bishop Seabury Academy seniors Steven Peng, Kristin Capps and Arielle Spiridigliozzi keep warm by a fire Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008 outside their high school. On the bottom right is senior Jennifer Hughes. The students were setting up for a camp out to kick off their fund raiser. The students camped outside the school for 24 hours, starting at 6 p.m. Thursday, to raise awareness of their drive, which is for non-perishable foods.

Members of Bishop Seabury Academy’s student senate were ready to spend a night without a roof over their heads or food in their stomachs.

Thursday night, the 17 students kicked off their annual food drive by sleeping outside the school in boxes.

“I think that it shows the school that we’re really getting into this, and we want to show people that there are other people that need help,” said senior Kristin Capps, 17.

They hope that by sleeping outside, the Lawrence community will take notice and donate. The group won’t eat for 24 hours. Their goal is to collect 6,000 items to donate to five charitable organizations in town.

“These people who come to shelters, they need food,” said senior Amber Lehman, 17. “We’re actually doing it because it helps people.”

Student senate sponsor Bill Gollier has been doing the event for three years, since he joined the faculty at Bishop Seabury. He says the night outside is to get the student body and the community excited about helping.

“One of the big things about tonight is to energize all the students and energize the school,” he said. “We’d like to get the community knowing about it because we’re so small here.”

He hopes that when people drive by and see the group, they will bring items to donate.

The students were ready for an eye-opening experience.

“I don’t really think there’s a way I could know what being homeless is like unless I actually was homeless, but it does give me a little bit of a view into these people’s lives that I wouldn’t have otherwise,” Lehman said.

This year is the second time senior Julia Davidson, 16, has camped outside her school.

“It was very cold and very fun,” she said. “It was a cool experience, and I got a lot out of it that I didn’t expect to get out of it.”

The group will be donating to the Lawrence Community Shelter, the Salvation Army, Trinity Episcopal Church Food Pantry, the Ballard Center and Family Promise. The students will also be doing community service today.

The food drive will last through Nov. 24, and donations can be made from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays at the school, 4120 Clinton Parkway. Students today will deliver whatever they collect Thursday night and will donate the rest on the last day of the drive.