SAN DIEGO — San Diego recognized World Homeless Day. CBS 8 got a glimpse inside a local school teaching students who are unhoused.
The Monarch School is the only school in the country where all the students are unhoused. Thursday they held their annual fundraiser to help continue serving families in need in San Diego.
"The Monarch School is the only school of its kind in the U.S. because we are the only one that exclusively educates unhoused kiddos," said Afira DeVries, CEO of Monarch School Project.
They teach K-12 students who might live in shelters, motels, cars or even on the streets. DeVries explained why their fundraiser is so important.
"It's really the only night of the year where we open our doors to the entire community, demonstrate the importance of the programs we facilitate here and introduce our community to our students and ask for the support it needs to continue doing what we do and expand our work," she said.
Monarch School is now using its expertise to train other local schools and non-profits how to best serve unhoused youth.
"The bottom line is a child who is unhoused that's going to a traditional school is more than likely going to try to hide and fly under the radar. The Monarch School makes it unnecessary to think that way. You can set down the baggage of your complex trauma when you're a student here," she said.
The school uses art as a form of therapy to help students through trauma and express themselves. They want the kids to discover their own potential and ultimately break the cycle of homelessness. You can learn more about the school here.