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 so many people’s situations around the world.

Specifically, in the previous weeks, they learned about the day-to-day lives of women in South Sudan who don’t have easy 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 facing the Water Crisis go through. In addition to the walk, they listened to lectures and 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, let students increase their awareness of global issues, gain empathy, and fundraise money for communities in South Sudan. They were able to raise $2,056.67 which surpassed their original goal and also their adjusted goal! Students at two schools in South Sudan will now have access to clean water because of these incredible Water Warriors!