Austin High School’s south parking lot will be turned into a shanty town tomorrow night.

Teens will spend the night in homes fashioned out of cardboard boxes, as they attempt to raise awareness about the need for affordable housing and raise money for Habitat for Humanity.

National Honor Society (NHS) adviser Sharon Alms said the outdoor camp-out is a longtime tradition for NHS students at Austin High School.

“We hope to meet or surpass what we raised last year which was about $2,300,” she said.

People can stop by the campsite after 7 p.m. and before dark Friday to donate money, Alms said. Students will be out until 7 a.m.

Last year, Alms said, students did get a small taste of being homeless. They stayed out all night long in their boxes, in a cold, rainy weather.

Students should have a more comfortable experience this year, but will hopefully increase awareness about housing needs and raise money just the same, Alms said.

She continued, about a dozen students will camp all night, and almost all 80 NHS students will stop by to raise money during the event at some point in the evening.