Seventh grade students at Wantagh Middle School are going one step beyond reading a book for class. They are learning about the lack of access to clean water and real-life hardships in Northeast Africa’s South Sudan while doing something about it. Over $700 worth of raffle tickets were sold school-wide for a chance to participate in "Shadow A Teacher Day," giving 25 students in grades 6-8 the opportunity to assist their favorite teacher.

A few of the teacher/student pairs included art teacher Ms. Rash Flynn and Audrey Annese, tech teacher Mr. Boyle and Gianna Mingozi, librarian Ms. Weber and Sophia McManamon, and Principals Ciuffo and Quatrocchi and Lia Petrillo.

All 7th graders are reading Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park this spring. This is an eye-opening, powerful book that highlights the issues faced in Sudan. To make sure students have a deeper connection to the book and real-world hardships, Anna Schiebelhuth (English 7th grade), Christina Bewick (English 7th grade) and Amelie Weber (Librarian) entered their 7th graders into the Iron Giraffe Challenge. 

The goal is to raise $1,000 or more through various fundraisers for the Iron Giraffe Challenge which is an international initiative to raise money to support access to clean water for the people of South Sudan. Schools that raise $1,000 or more for their charity (Water for South Sudan) are entered for a chance to win a visit from the author or the main character, who is a real man.

For more information on the Iron Giraffe Challenge, please visit Water for South Sudan Iron Giraffe Challenge.