It was SO worth the WALK (and the bus ride...)

We Won't Forget this Day for a long time...

Friday was an unforgettable day for 42 7th graders from Maple Hill MS and the 4 adults chaperoning them.  Talk about connecting literature to real life.  Wow.

We all have Mrs. Fowler, the 7th and 8th grade English teacher from MHMS, to thank.  After reading A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park as part of the 7th grade Common Core modules, she did a little research and saw that Salva Dut, was going to be walking in Greece, NY this past Friday raising money for his organization, Water for South Sudan.  I'm not sure how she pulled it off in less than two weeks, but she did and again I say, WOW.

42 kids piled into the bus at around 10:45 am. Here they are jumping because we just drove 250 miles!

After registering and giving in the nearly $1500 that the students raised, we met Salva and started walking!

Mrs. Fowler gave Salva a bag of Maple Hill swag!

And we're off walking!

A photo op with Salva!

Thank you, Mrs. Fowler for this amazing opportunity!

Another photo op!

What?! We're not jumping?! Just wait...Thanks to one of our favorite 5th grade teachers, Mrs. Kelliher, for chaperoning, too!

Here we are with Salva!

And the incomparable, Jen Cannell from Questar III also chaperoned!

Salva inspired all of us

Salva signed Mrs. Fowler's copy of Linda Sue Park's book that was the spark to make all of this happen.

And you thought we couldn't get Salva to jump?!  How could he say no to the Leapin Librarian?!

Thanks again to Mrs. Fowler for putting this day together for all of us.  I am so grateful that I was able to go with the kids.  Connecting literature to real life is totally my thing and I love to see it in action!  The students all thought it was an amazing day and well worth the long drive.  In fact, yesterday I saw some other 7th graders from other districts around the area and when they heard that  we met Salva they thought it was the coolest thing ever!  Some even already knew because they saw pictures posted on Instagram.  Gotta love social media!  You rock, Mrs. Fowler! What a way for these kids to close out the school year!