After reading A Long Walk to Water in language arts earlier this fall, Athens Academy’s fifth grade class decided to take the Iron Giraffe Challenge, with the goal of raising $3,000 to support the drilling of new wells for water through the organization Water for South Sudan. The students are excited to announce that they have exceeded their goal, raising a total of $4,766.56 for the charitable organization.

As in previous years, the students needed a creative way to raise the money, and together with their teachers they decided to sell pandemic-related items. They created a website and sold masks, hand sanitizer, and lanyards. The students also participated as vendors in the Athens Academy Holiday Market on November 19, where they raised over $1,000 in one day.

Athens Academy is one of 40 schools from around the world participating in this year’s Iron Giraffe Challenge. Click here for more information and a list of participating schools.

A Long Walk to Water, written by Linda Sue Park, tells the true story of two eleven-year-old children living in South Sudan, where the walk to collect water is two hours each way. The organization Water for South Sudan runs the Iron Giraffe Challenge—based on the book—and school children from all over the world participate every year, raising money to drill new wells in South Sudan.

Athens Academy is an independent, co-educational school for students in K3 through 12th grade, located on a beautiful 152-acre campus in Northeast Georgia. Now in its 54th year, Athens Academy pursues its mission of “excellence with honor” through academics, athletics, fine arts, and service and leadership. Ranked the #1 private school in Athens and #1 private high school outside Metro Atlanta (Niche.com). Top Ten School in the State for STEM Education (Newsweek).

For more information, please contact Kelley Cuneo, communications director, at [email protected] or 706-433-2410.