Water Blogged

On Tuesday, June 1st, more than eight hundred eighth-grade students at Twin Oaks Middle School completed their service-learning project that culminated in a full day of walking for water. For seven periods, each class of students walked with one or two eight-pound water jugs in the hot Minnesota sun, emulating the difficult experience of carrying water that so many people around the world have to live with every day.

In the weeks leading up to their walk, they learned about the day-to-day lives of the people in South Sudan who don’t have easy access to clean water. Especially the young students who miss out on the opportunity to go to school because they lack access to clean water. H2O For Life spent two weeks, one with the global studies department and one with science classes, educating students about the difficulties people around the world are facing with the Water Crisis. In addition to the walk, they read the novel, A Long Walk to Water, to further understand and ground themselves in what a privilege it is to have access to clean water.

The project, led by teachers Anne Freese and John Wabbe, in collaboration with H2O for Life, increased their students’ awareness of global issues, taught them how to exercise empathy with their neighbors around the world, and raised money for communities in South Sudan. They were able to raise $2,056.67 which surpassed their original goal of $1,000 and their second goal of $2,000! Students at two schools in South Sudan will now have access to clean water because of these incredible Water Warriors! Thank you for your hard work and for embracing your global citizenship!