Reading assignment inspires English classes to help others across the world

The Sulphur Springs Middle School English classes are hosting their latest in a series of fundraisers this Wednesday, Dec. 13, but the identity of the recipients of those funds might come as a surprise — they’re not local.

In fact, they’re not even on this continent.

The classes have been raising money to donate to the Iron Giraffe Challenge, a fundraiser sponsored by Water for South Sudan. The nonprofit organization raises money to fund deep water well drilling operations in the extremely poor country.

According to his biography on the Water for South Sudan website (www.waterforsouthsudan. org), founder “Salva Dut was born in a rural village in southwestern Sudan to the Dinka tribe. At 11 years old, the Sudanese Civil War reached his village and separated Dut from his family. He joined thousands of boys, famously known as the Lost Boys of Sudan, on their journey by foot to seek safety in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya. After living in refugee camps for 10 years, [Dut and the other Lost Boys were airlifted to the United States, and] Dut was embraced by a family in Rochester, New York. Several years later, Dut learned that his father was still alive in Southern Sudan, but was suffering with a disease caused by waterborne parasites. His father’s illness inspired Dut to help both his father and his country by bringing clean water to those in need. This was the beginning of Water for South Sudan.”

Dut’s story is recounted in the book A Long Walk to Water, alongside the story of a fictional Sudanese girl who gets water each day for her family from the pond closest to her home — an eight hour round trip in 100-degree weather. In the book, a character refers to the water well drilling rig as an “iron giraffe,” which the fundraising challenge was named for. 2023 marks the book’s 20th anniversary.

SSMS English teacher Erin McCrary assigned the book to her classes at the beginning of the school year, and the students were inspired to raise money for the cause.

“I wanted to do something with water locally,” McCrary recalled. “I was thinking about taking a group of students to clean up trash around Coleman Park, but they wanted to do something bigger, to raise money for Water for South Sudan instead. It’s an important cause. Once a village has water, schools, hospitals and grocery stores follow. People build around the village once it has water. Water means growth.”

Drilling a water well can cost $15,000 or more, which would be impossible for the villages to do on their own. The organization’s goal is to install 40 new wells per year. Since 2005, more than 600 wells have been installed. The villagers help select the location of their well, help to build it and learn how to maintain and repair the pumps so the water keeps flowing.

McCrary’s students have jumped into fundraising wholeheartedly, McCrary said. They held a 5k race in September and will have their “Photos with Santa” fundraiser Dec. 13. They also plan to sell “candy grams” for Valentine’s Day and hold a second 5k race in the spring of 2024.

As of last Friday, Mc-Crary said the students have raised $2,800 and plan to keep going. Their goal is to raise enough for a quarter- sponsorship — $6,000 — which will allow their group name, Wildcats for Water, to be stamped in the concrete pad of a South Sudanese water well built by Dut’s organization. The students have already qualified to win a school visit from Dut.

McCrary said she will send the money to Water for South Sudan in April or May 2024.

Other teachers on campus have also joined the cause. Christi Funderburk’s 6th grade classes helped with the September 5k, while Adrienne Lilley has taken point on the Photos with Santa fundraiser.

“I’m trying to instill in my students the idea that, even if you feel small, it doesn’t take a lot to make a huge difference,” McCrary said.