Bonnie and the kids
Every year, students at Five Oaks Academy in Simpsonville, South Carolina turn their attention towards the remote Azawak of West Africa, and the people they've come to know through Amman Imman: Water is Life. Their involvement started several years ago when Andrew Kutt, director of the Oneness-Family School, told them about the growing coalition of Montessori schools who have come together to help bring water to this barren plain. 

Teacher Bonnie Benthall was especially moved. Supported by Five Oaks director Kathleen Trewhella-Grant, Bonnie has taken Wells of Love to conferences, presented to heads of corporations, and rallied the entire school.  Her students have made speeches to other classes, at their churches and in their community. In addition to creative fundraisers held throughout the year, students age two through 12 use their athletic skills during the annual Amman-a-thon. Amman Imman has become an official charity for the South Carolina Montessori Alliance.  Several South Carolina Montessori schools participate in the Wells of Love program with yearly fundraisers. Thanks to Bonnie's contagious enthusiasm, kids across South Carolina are awakening to understand their world and connecting to their brothers and sister in West Africa. 

I send my heartfelt appreciation to Bonnie, Kathleen, all the Five Oaks teachers, parents, and especially our student Heroes of Compassion!

Read about how Five Oaks students raised over $6,100 this year to support Amman Imman's projects in the Azawak. Here's the article copied from the  Five Oaks Academy website:

Students Raise Funds For Amman Imman: Water Is Life
Five Oaks Academy toddlers, primary kindergartners, lower elementary students, upper elementary students and middle school students recently participated in a fundraising drive to support the organization Amman Imman: Water is Life.  Amman Imman is dedicated to improving and saving lives among the poorest and most abandoned populations of the world by supplying permanent sources of water in the Azawak of West Africa.
The annual fundraising drive, named Ammon-a-thon, gives students the opportunity to raise money by getting sponsors to pledge support for completing repetitions of some of their favorite outdoor activities including running laps, doing jumping jacks, throwing and bouncing balls and other physical activities.  These activities provide students the opportunity to showcase their determination and support of this wonderful cause.  Overall, the students jumped, bounced and sweat their way to raise  over $5,000.  Combined with other fundraisers done over the course of the year in support of Amman Imman, the students raised over $6,100.
Amman Imman’s global objective is to increase water security for the children and adults living in the Azawak of West Africa in order to drastically reduce the incidence and prevalence of morbidity and mortality related to water insufficiency and poor water quality, such as dehydration, diarrhea, intestinal helminthes, skin diseases, lice infestation, schistosomiosis, trachoma, etc. The project’s objectives include;
  • creating permanent, sustainable, and potable water sources, so that everyone within the target population has sustainable and equitable access to enough water quantity of high quality to meet their consumption, cooking, personal and domestic hygienic needs, as well as the needs of their animals,
  • ensuring ecologically, financially, and socially sustainable management of water quality and quantity and
  • improving hygiene and sanitation related knowledge and behavior among members of the target population.
Events such as the Amman-a-thon empower Five Oaks Academy students to be actively involved in helping others and engages them as global citizens.  Five Oaks Academy is proud of all of its students who participated in Amman-a-thon.
Today I received a check for $403 from the Abintra Montessori School in Nashville, Tennessee.  The story, shared by teacher Jody McDaniel, quintessentially illustrates how discovery and initiative are fostered at Montessori schools.  The process these young students went through, that resulted in raising funds to help bring water to the Azawak, exemplifies the Montessori principle of "follow the child". As Jody's story shows, the children take the lead and turn their awakened knowledge into something practical.  

Three cheers to Jody and the Abintra Montessori School for supporting the journey of their students! Here's Jody's letter: 

Dear Friends,
Enclosed is our Abintra Montessori School check in the amount of $403.  Our third and fourth year Elementary students contributed their time and energy to making this donation possible.

Their study of earth included its resources, the water cycle, the scarcity of potable water in many parts of the world, and the fragility of the balance between need, resource, management and renewal. They realized there was a need to do something about the imbalance of the availability of fresh water across the globe.  

At first, they wanted to send water to Africa.  As the discussion developed, they realized that trans-Atlantic shipping would not be possible and another way would have to be found.  They wanted to send money to help build wells, and we began researching possibilities.

The children decided that they had to tell somebody what was happening. They wanted to start getting their message out by writing a play to perform for their parents.  As the play and the song developed, both entitled "The Great Penzatti Catastrophe" they began to feel that this was not enough.  

A large group of these eight and nine year old children decided to crochet bags, scarves, pencil and glasses cases, marble holders, bracelets and bookmarks to sell as a fundraiser.   They persuaded our Executive Director that they should sell their items and send the money they raised to Amman Imman: Water is Life. 

The check you are receiving today is a direct result of their efforts.  Truly, "a little child shall lead them."

Thank you for the tremendous work you do. 

Sincerely,
Jody McDaniel
Middle Elementary Guide

I'd love to hear the song or at least know the words to "The Great Penzatti Catastrophe".  Wouldn't you?!
Our Heroes of Compassion at Keystone Montessori
I first learned about Keystone Montessori  in Chelmsford, Massachusetts from Sue Wood, one of the founders and business manager of the school.  Sue offered to help get schools in Massachusetts involved in Amman Imman's Wells of Love program. We discussed organizing a tour of local schools to present Amman Imman.  She suggested that I focus on larger schools for a bigger impact.

Warming up
Little did either of us realize that a small group of young students collaborating as a team at Keystone Montessori would make a very big impact. During this school year, 15 students in the upper classroom at Keystone Montessori, with the help of teacher Meghan Duffy, worked hard for the Azawak.

After learning about scarce water conditions in the region and finding out that they could help Amman Imman reach clean water deep in the ground, these diligent 6 - 10 year olds went to work. They participated in an Amman-a-thon, an activity that combines athletics, math and philanthropy.   For three months, they practiced running laps to build their skills and endurance.

Running practice
In May, the class held their Amman-a-thon.  Students ran laps in the school's yard around a course marked by cones, as their partners counted how many could run in 5 minutes. Family and friends sponsored them for $1 per lap. Parent attended the event to cheer on these humanitarian athletes.

Their hard work and dedication resulted in an accomplishment that will have a tremendous impact in saving lives in the Azawak.  They raised $1,400!  What an accomplishment borne out of the dedication and compassion of these young heroes!

The Amman-a-thon had an big impact on the students themselves, providing physical education and raising global awareness.

Meg Duffy wrote,

"Thanks so much for such a wonderful learning opportunity. The children, I think, have really understood what it means to be a global citizen even with 5,000 miles separating them from something they can't even imagine - having clean water."
A local paper published an article about Keystone Montessori's Amman-a-thon.  It's a great article!  Read it at Wicked Local or on the Wells of Love blog.


Thank you
 to our dedicated Heroes of Compassion 
at Keystone Montessori School!  

You are making a difference!
Back in March, I received a letter from Jennifer Davey, director of the Redeemer Montessori School in Irving, Texas.  The letter read:
Dear Amman Imman,  
This year our school decided to support the "Wells of Love" project as part of our Valentine celebrations. The coin collection replaced our Valentine cards and was a huge success.  The upper elementary students prepared posters and went to each classroom to talk about the project. 
We are delighted to be able to send you a check for $1,245.  We look forward to partnering with you again! 
Jennifer Davey
Director, Redeemer Montessori School

School like Redeemer Montessori are ideal partners for Amman Imman's Wells of Love program. What these students accomplished, and the way they went about it, directly reflects both the intention of the Wells of Love program, and the mission of Redeemer Montessori.

Included in  Redeemer Montessori's mission is the statement:
We follow the children in the journey of discovery and growth in becoming socially responsible, morally aware, global citizens.
Wells of Love educates students about pressing global issues, and provides a venue through which students can take action that directly benefits some of the world's most vulnerable populations.

The program is brought to its highest purpose when our future leaders gain awareness about the world outside their local environment, learn how their fellow human beings live, share their knowledge with others, and manifest their compassion by raising funds that will directly in bringing a positive change.

This is precisely what  happened at Redeemer Montessori. The upper elementary students inspired their community to come together for the people of the Azawak. Together, they raised $1,245! The outward manifestation of social responsibility and moral awareness gained through their experience resulted in a rewarding accomplishment.

Thank you 
to our Heroes of Compassion 
at Redeemer Montessori School, 
and the teachers and parents 
who supported their efforts! 

Together, we are making a difference!
This article was originally published in the Wicked Local online news from Chelmsford, Massachusetts on May 11, 2012. Here's the original link. Credits to Molly Loughman/Wicked Local staff writer for a lovely article!  


Chelmsford — It is more than 5,000 miles from Keystone Montessori School in the old mill in North Chelmsford to the Azawak region in north Central Africa, but students at the school are doing what they can to bridge that gap.

This month, a class of 6- to 10-year-olds raised $1,400 for Amman Imman, an organization devoted to providing indigenous populations in Africa with fresh water. The class of 15 participated in Wells of Love, the organization’s service learning program.

“Hopefully this will help put our little school on the map, as well as show what six-to-ten-year-olds can do,” said teacher Meghan Duffy.

Each student pledged support from family and friends for the Amman-a-thon, held on March 22, World Water Day. The Amman-a-thon is tailored for wide age groups, allowing students to choose from various activities, including hopping on one leg, twirling a hula hoop, throwing bean bags, jumping rope, running laps and more.

Despite high temperatures that day, students ran as many laps as they could for five minutes around a course marked by cones. On average, the classroom ran between 12 and 22 laps. For every lap, individuals were sponsored a dollar.

“I liked raising the money because it was fun. I hope not as much kids die because now they have more wells and I basically loved helping people in Africa, other than people in the United States,” said Mia.

Donations go to the building of borehole wells throughout the Azawak area in Africa. To tackle the project, one 10-year-old embarked on an e-mail campaign, collecting $300.

“I think this is a pretty good international fundraiser. The cool thing about this is that we can focus on one certain skill so it doesn’t have to be running. They could get better at jumping jacks or something. And it’s really good for their physical education part, too,” said Duffy.

Beginning in February, students exercised and ran laps every Thursday for five minutes. They also learned about harsh conditions in Mali and Niger, where people are forced to walk miles for fresh water.

“My favorite part of it was running the laps because it was really exercising and fun and I really liked it and that’s my favorite part,” said Zoey

Launched in 2006 Wells of Love aims to educate students about pressing global concerns, including climate change, desertification and water shortages, along with the indigenous populations affected by these issues. Amman Imman helps supply the most deprived and vulnerable indigenous regions in the world with fresh water by raising awareness and engaging individuals in fundraising.

Aside from the international fundraiser, the class donates to local charities. Last November they hosted a book sale and bake sale to buy diapers for the Wish Project and House of Hope, family homeless shelters in Lowell. Each year the class holds two big fundraisers.

These projects are largely based on one of the school’s core philosophies, to teach children how they can help the planet’s threatened resources and creatures. The Duffy’s students share the responsibilities of taking care of their classroom pets: three finches, two parakeet, two frogs, one turtle, one beta fish and one anole.

“Montessori is very different than traditional education; the basic gist is that through dynamic materials, collaboration with parents and observation of the child, the student will reach his or her fullest potential as an individual, both academically and socially, and hopefully become an 'agent of change,' a Montessori term that describes a fully grown adult who can better serve our world,” said Duffy.
A heartfelt THANK YOU goes out to our Heroes of Compassion at the North Shoreview Montessori School in San Mateo, California.  Today we received a check for $400 accompanied by the following letter:
Dear Gentlepeople,
Our students have collected $400 for your Water is Life program. 
 
Thank you for providing us with the opportunity to learn about and contribute to this worthy cause. 
Sincerely,
Students at North Shoreview Montessori
On behalf of the people of the Azawak, we send the students at North Shoreview Montessori a big thank you!  Your efforts will help save lives!
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