Sixth Grade Students Changing Lives For Over A Decade
The large mural that lines the wall above the 6th grade lockers at Minnetonka Middle School East holds a special significance for the last decade of students that walked this hallway. It represents the over 3,000 people in Haiti that now have sustainable, clean water access because a group of 6th grade students and teachers decided to make a difference!
After taking a trip to Haiti with Haiti Outreach over a decade ago, a 6th grade teacher at Minnetonka Middle School East returned home determined to educate her students about the desperate need for clean water, and the students came up with ideas for her classes to help in some way. Out of that resolve, the Water Walk for Haiti was born. Since the first walk in 2011, the event has grown each year. The 2023 Water Walk occurred on May 12th and included much more than the students running or walking laps to receive their pledge money. Student and parent-run stands lined the parking lot and gave those in attendance a chance to buy food, play a game on a homemade Plinko board, get their face painted, buy items the students made, and so much more. Highlights of the day included the principal volunteering for the dunk tank and some of the teachers agreeing to have whipped cream pies smashed in their face. All proceeds from the stands, the laps, and general donations go to Haiti Outreach. Over the last 10 events, the students have raised over $202,000 and this year they are projecting to possibly add another $30,000 to that total!
This event is a highlight of the students’ year, and the mural is a wonderful visual reminder of the impact they are making in the lives of the Haitian people. If you stopped any student and asked them to explain the three pictures on the mural, they could quickly explain that the picture on the left represents Haitians walking a long distance to find water that may not be clean and could possibly make them sick. The picture in the middle is the Water Walk at their school to raise money, and the picture on the right is the clean water well that the funds they raised enabled Haiti Outreach to build for a Haitian community. Former 6th graders, when in high school, painted this large mural and gave it to the middle school.
The students’ goal each year is to raise enough money for at least one community managed well, and possibly more, that Haiti Outreach trains the elected community management committee to maintain indefinitely as part of Haiti Outreach’s Adopt-A-Well program. The community called Blan Rouj, that the 2022 sixth graders adopted, inaugurated their well in March 2023. Thanks to the effort of these kids, the 128 people in this community no longer need to walk an hour and a half (one way!) to find water that may be contaminated. They now have a sustainable, clean water well in their own community!
This year’s 6th graders have adopted the 150 people in the community of Roche Delmas who are currently walking 2 hours to a spring to find their water. Donations from their event are still rolling in, but initial totals indicate that they will raise not only enough money for this community, but a substantial amount towards a second community managed well.
Haiti Outreach has been thrilled to partner with Minnetonka Middle School East over the past 11 events. We are so proud of this dedicated group of students, teachers, administrators, and parents that are working to change the lives of the Haitian people. If your group or school is interested in adopting a well, we would love to partner with you as well. Please contact us at info@haitioutreach.org to find out more about the process.
