The main purpose of an elementary school classroom is to help students build upon fundamental skills such as reading, writing and math but it also is a crucial time for children to learn to think critically, explore the world around them and develop positive social behavior in interacting with others. As this school year comes to an end, students in Tracy Henderson’s fifth-grade classroom can say they’ve done that and more.
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| Manchester School Fifth Grade Teacher Tracy Henderson was duct taped to the gym wall after her students raised more than $2,500 during the 'Walk-for-Water' Walkathon to help build a well and give children in South Sudan a chance to attend school, This started when Henderson's class read the book 'A Long Walk to Water' and wanted to help. COURTESY PHOTO |
It tells the story of the “Lost Boys,” a group consisting of more than 20,000 predominantly Dinka and Nuer children of South Sudan who were orphaned or displaced during the Second Sudanese Civil War as they embarked upon a treacherous 1,000-mile journey across East Africa before settling in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya.
Henderson says that in the book, the author Linda Sue Park recreates Salva Dut’s harrowing journey and intersperses it with that of a young girl who had to walk hours each day to get water for her family just to survive.
Earlier this year, Henderson’s students finished the book and during a discussion they asked, “What can we do?”
The students found out that many South Sudanese children, especially girls, spend hours walking up to four miles each day to collect water in heavy jerrycans to help their families and those are hours that take away from those children going to school.
“As one student commented ‘I think we should raise money for wells because we are all people and all people should have an education and water,” Henderson said.
This year marked the 12th year that students, teachers, and communities have come together, raising 4.5 million dollars so far to bring clean water and hope to South Sudanese communities working with Water for South Sudan (WFSS). Since the organization was launched, 2,926 schools have participated in building over 660 wells there.
Water for South Sudan (WFSS) delivers sustainable quality-of-life services to and with the people of South Sudan by efficiently providing access to clean, safe water, and improving hygiene and sanitation practices in areas of great need.
“This year, this Windham class took pledges for a ‘Walk-for-Water’ Walkathon, and they raised just over $2,500 to help build a well and give some kids on the other side of the world a chance to go to school. Manchester School is so proud they chose to make a difference.”
Schools that raise the goal of at least $1,000 are entered to win prizes, including a visit from Salva Dut, the founder of Water for South Sudan. Participants also receive a special classroom poster celebrating their efforts which make a meaningful difference while engaging students in a hands-on philanthropic challenge that creates real social impact.
It was the first time that Manchester School had a group of students do this, Henderson said.
To motivate her students to maximize their fundraising efforts, Henderson suggested to them that if they raised $1,000, they could duct tape her to the gym wall and that indeed came to pass.
“I think they are all students of the month because they really made a difference in the world,” Henderson said.
To learn more about the Water for South Sudan (WFSS) organization visit https://www.waterforsouthsudan.org/. <
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