At Oldfield Middle School, seventh and eighth grade students in Laura Hurney’s English class recently finished reading “A Long Walk to Water,” by Linda Sue Park. The book helped to raise students’ awareness of the 3,800 Sudanese “Lost Boys” in South Sudan in 1980. The novel followed the story of Salva Dut and his lack of access to clean, safe drinking water.
To further increase students’ understanding of water conservation, Ms. Hurney welcomed ENL teacher Nayara DeMarco to her classroom. DeMarco, a native from Brazil, spoke of her own experiences and struggles with access to clean, safe water. She prepared slides and videos, which she presented to students.
“We learned so much with her energetic and informative stories,” Ms. Hurney said. “She truly broadened our appreciation and global understanding of water conservation.”