Maria Montessori students raising money to build well in South Sudan - The Rock River Times

Maria Montessori School students (from left) Jaedon Sockwell, Kylie Giglio, Chloie Scrogin, Amelia Teske, Molly Budlong and Ashlyn Horton make duct tape wallets. (Photo by Joyce Budlong)

Staff Report

Students at Maria Montessori School in Rockford are raising money to build a well in South Sudan. Different classrooms and individuals have undertaken different projects that have raised more than $2,000. Two additional fund-raising efforts are scheduled in the coming weeks to help reach the goal of $5,000.

Karen Liddell read her students Linda Sue Park’s A Long Walk to Water, which is based on the true story of two Sudanese and highlights the immense need for clean, safe drinking water.

One sixth-grade student in Liddell’s class, Chloie Scrogin, wanted to raise money to help build a well in South Sudan. Chloie and a group of her friends began spending their recess time making duct tape wallets and accessories, and sold their wares to raise money for Water for South Sudan.

The individual efforts of Chloie and her friends then were joined with classroom initiatives throughout the school. One class is making and selling dog biscuits, another is selling popcorn, and another is selling homemade greeting cards. Some students are making jewelry, others are publishing magazines. The fund-raising efforts have spread throughout the whole school, and the students have raised more than $2,000. Their end-of-year goal is to raise $5,000, which is the cost to begin drilling a well.

A sign the students made advertises their wares. (Photo by Joyce Budlong)

Students are not only trying to raise money, but awareness about the problem facing South Sudan and other countries. All of the elementary classes have read A Long Walk to Water, and students have prepared several different presentations to educate younger students, parents and community members about the difficulty many people face trying to find clean drinking water and how the Water for South Sudan project can help. Students will have a booth at the Earth Day Fair Saturday, April 21, at Rock Valley College to explain about the project and their efforts.

The students are also encouraged to participate in the H20 Project, where they are encouraged to drink nothing but water for two weeks. All of the money that would have been spent on other beverages can then be donated to the Water for South Sudan project.

The idea behind the H20 Project is that individuals get to experience sacrificing for others, and drinking only water will help families realize how fortunate we are to have clean water accessible to us and will serve as a reminder for those who cannot just turn on a faucet, but must walk for miles and still have only dirty water to drink. The H20 Project will run from April 23 to May 4.

Plans are also under way for a Water Fair to be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, May 12. The Water Fair will be open to the community and will include live music, games, learning activities regarding water, food and vendor booths. More information about the Water Fair will be forthcoming.

For more information, visit www.waterforsouthsudan.org. For more about the H20 Project, visit www.theh2oproject.org.

From the April 18-24, 2012, issue

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