Since 2007, Montessori classes at Minnieland Academy in Virginia have been educating their young students about global issues by supporting Amman Imman's mission to bring water to the people of the Azawak. This year, several classrooms sponsored fundraising activities ranging from consignment and bake sales to art auctions and walks for water. They raised over $2,000.
The integrative curriculum approach at Minnieland called upon the students to take action as they learned about water scarcity and its affect on the indigenous cultures of West Africa. Using Wells of Love curriculum materials, the teachers introduced the plight of the people of the Azawak during their geography study of Africa. Science investigations included the building of small water wells and the effect on plants growing under drought conditions. To help these young stewards understand the challenges the children of the Azawak face on a daily basis, the Minnieland children engaged in activities carrying buckets filled with water for a certain distance.
District Director and Montessori trainer Lori Marano told me that the study of water against the backdrop of the real-life challenges faced by the Azawak children has been a fascinating journey for both the students and the teachers. She invited me to speak at their Montessori teacher training session to share more about Amman Imman's Wells of Love program. "I've never seen teachers and directors as passionate about a program as this one", Lori told me.
Lori envisions the Wells of Love program expanding next year at Minnieland as the teachers discover new and productive ways to engage their students and raise money for Amman Imman's projects in the Azawak.
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| Minnieland consignment clothing sale benefits Amman Imman |
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| How heavy is water? What if I had to walk 35 miles to carry it home? |
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| Students discover that water is essential for life. |
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