ROCHESTER — The football field at Spaulding High School will look a little different Friday, March 25, as tents, sleeping bags and firepits will take over the space.

Waypoint's SleepOut 2022 will be held March 25, an event raising awareness and money to support homeless youth, with sponsored participants sleeping outside in the cold for one night. 

Police and other city officials will join staff and students at Spaulding High School, and they are raising money to support Waypoint's efforts. 

Nicole Rodler, juvenile services coordinator for Rochester police, is putting together the city team. There's a school team, too.

"Waypoint is 100% a partner for me," Rodler said. "I came here from Manchester police, so I am very familiar with their work with youth homelessness, and I am thrilled to be working to help as this happens in Rochester. I support their work, and for me this event is a no-brainer."

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Rodler is very involved with the department's community policing initiative and is a certified recovery support person.

"When it's 2 or 3 a.m. and we have to place someone, shelters are full, so Waypoint has become our emergency resource," Rodler said. "We rely on them and they work hard to help."

Rodler said Spaulding High's football field was chosen for several reasons. They can spread out for social distancing, they can fit a large number of people and they can supervise and "lock-in" students taking part, who will spend the night inside the school.

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"We are going to show movies, inside and outside," Rodler saud. "Guyer Travel are sending the movies, and other Rochester businesses are donating items to make the night fun. We will have firepits set up to keep us warm, and access to the bathrooms in the school. Homeless kids do not have those amenities, but the idea here is to raise awareness of that, that we are fairly comfortable, having a good time but for some this is not a choice, and happens every night."

Rodler said she is aware of homeless kids in Rochester.

"It's not always what you think," he said. "They are not all outside. Some sleep in cars, or are couch surfing with friends. They are still homeless. They have to fill the nighttime hours always, while we are doing it for one night."

Some of the police will sleep in the school to supervise. Rodler said she knows some are planning to bring tents and stay outdoors. She said other city officials are planning to participate, too. 

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Spaulding staff members and about 15 to 20 students already are planning to take part in the SleepOut. 

Alanna Malone, a sophomore and a member of Spaulding's Student Athletic Leadership Team, said just talking about the issue is making her think more about what homelessness means. 

"I can't imagine they do this every night, with nowhere to go," she said. "We want to help."

"We have met with Nicole and others from the city to finalize the plans and be ready for next week," said Sheila Colson, a physical education teacher, Spalding graduate and Student Athletic Leadership Team adviser. 

"We are very excited about taking part in this," said Lauren Jerr, student leadership adviser and Class of 2024 adviser. "The students taking part are all student team leaders."

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Ashley Trogler is a senior, student leadership and SALT member. 

"I think this event is a good way to bring awareness to the fact it is here," she said.

Jerr said the Spaulding school staff has experience with homeless youth.

"As a school counselor, I run across this," she said. "We work with students whatever their circumstance is. We want Spaulding High School to be a safe haven. We will feed them, support them and try to find solutions."

Madi Trogler, a  sophomore, SALT member and Class of 2024 officer, said she thinks the SleepOut offers students a good life experience.

"I think it will show us a bit of what the situation really is," she said. "We can only imagine how difficult this is for them, what they go through to survive. But it will get us to think about it, so it definitely raises awareness."

According to data supplied by Waypoint, currently, 1 in 10 young adults ages 18 to 25, and 1 in 30 adolescents, ages 13 to 17, endures some form of homelessness in America within a 12-month period, citing a report by Chapin Hall - University of Chicago. Estimates show approximately 15,000 youth are likely to experience some form of homelessness in New Hampshire this year. Last year, Waypoint had nearly 1,500 contacts with youth who were experiencing homelessness in New Hampshire.

Later this spring or summer, Waypoint's long-planned Rochester youth drop-in resource center, to be located at 3 Wallace St., is expected to open, according to Kat Strange, communications director for Waypoint.

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"I cannot wait for that center to be open and operational," Rodler said. "It will definitely fill a need we have in the area."

Strange said the SleepOut event will be held virtually across the state with participants sleeping out at their own locations, such as back yards, instead of gathering together in one location statewide, as was the tradition before the COVID-19 pandemic. The socially distanced SleepOut participants will have a shared virtual experience online.

Money raised through this event helps Waypoint fund programs geared to supporting homeless youth, including two drop-in centers in the works in Rochester and in Concord, and an overnight shelter for youth in Manchester, the first in the state. Strange said Waypoint hopes to have all three up and running by spring or early summer.

Spaulding High School fundraising page: flipcause.com/secure/team_fundraiser/MTMxNTQ2/10656

Hervey's Tire Co. and D.F. Richard Energy have made pledge to donate matching funds up to $1,500, according to Jerr.

Rochester city team’s fundraising page: flipcause.com/secure/team_fundraiser/MTMxNTQ2/10611