Mrs. Ashley Nelson's 7th grade class has been reading Linda Sue Park’s A Long Walk to Water. This tells the true story of Salva Dut, a brave boy who, after being separated from his family and targeted by rebel soldiers, survived the Second Sudanese Civil War. As an adult, he created the organization Water for South Sudan, which works to dig wells for communities in South Sudan that lack access to safe drinking water.
The students really connected with Salva and his story, and decided that they wanted to help make a difference. In order to reinforce the story’s topics of compassion and determination, the class will be taking a “Long Walk With Water” to fundraise and raise awareness on March 21st. The students will walk 5 kilometers while carrying 1 gallon of water. That’s slightly more than 3 miles, and is the average distance that women and girls in developing countries must walk every day, typically carrying 20 liters of water. Our goal is to raise $1,000, which makes DCC eligible for the Iron Giraffe Challenge, a chance to win a virtual visit from Salva Dut or author Linda Sue Park, and it also allows us to co-sponsor a well in South Sudan. Donations are optional, but we would greatly appreciate if you shared our fundraising page with your friends and family.
Students will also be practicing their persuasive and informational writing skills in order to create posters for the school, and they will build their cooperative skills as we work together to help this fundraiser run smoothly. My goal is for students to walk away with the confidence and motivation to make the world a better place, just like Salva!
Thank you for your support as we undertake this project and raise money for this important cause.
Visit our recent article featured on the front page of the Courier Express: https://www.thecourierexpress.com/news/dubois-central-catholic-students-hope-to-make-a-difference-with-class-project/article_510b0788-dfc1-11ee-9878-ff1564b825b5.html