Mason-Rice Elementary School 1st Grade

Ms. McGrath's first grade class has been learning a lot about Human Rights, specifically focusing on the rights of children across the world. One's right to access clean, potable water particularly affected our class. We read and listened to many stories about children, especially girls, who are unable to receive an education because they must journey to collect water for their family's survival each day.

In order to get a mere glimpse into this extremely different way of life, our class went on a small journey for water. We walked to a nearby lake to individually collect cups of water, on a bitter cold day in New England. Everyone tried their best to walk back to school, without spilling a drop of water, keeping in mind that this supply is needed for health and survival. When we returned to our warm classroom, we measured the amount of water that made it back and compared it to an "Average Daily Water Usage" graph. We had not returned with enough water for even one person to survive upon for one day, let alone 23 kids.

Our six and seven year old children felt strongly that they wanted a way to help make a difference in the live's of other children, who deserve the right to drink and use safe water, just like them. H2O for Life seems like a great avenue to make this hope for change, a real possibility.