Students across the U.S. raised over $57,000 for clean water systems through #ShowerStrike

Classrooms to Clean Water is one of our newest programs that engages with the leaders of tomorrow and empower students to make a tangible difference in the world. Throughout the year, we partner with classrooms across the world to teach youth about global water issues and provide them with activities that demonstrate their own power to create change in the world.

A year-long or semester-long partnership with classes usually culminates with our annual Shower Strike each April, where students can put what they’ve learned to work and help our partner communities in East Africa. We have teachers, student groups and even entire schools commit to skipping showers, or reducing water usage, until they reach their fundraising goals.

This year, we had 15 student teams participate in our Classrooms to Clean Water Shower Strike league. Together, with the support of generous corporate and individual sponsors, they raised over $57,000 — enough to provide 5,700 individuals with clean water.

Thanks to the help of these wonderful teams, this year was the most successful Shower Strike yet.

Special thanks to these 15 amazing teams:

• Sunset Stinkers
• Grisham Grizzlies
• McCallum Alliance
• Hyde Park MS Lipscomb
• Hernandez Bulldog Strikers
• spilled milk social club
• Hyde Park MS Milligan
• Hyde Park MS Biola
• Elmont Shower Strikers
• Hyde Park MS Trinity
• San Antonio Gifted and Talented Students
• Hyde Park MS Nazarene
• Hyde Park MS Geneva
• St. Gabe’s Water Sabers
• St. Thomas More Students

Shower Strike Highlights

We were very lucky to have two new schools participate in our Classrooms to Clean Water program this year: Grisham Middle School and Hernandez Middle School from Round Rock ISD outside of Austin, Texas.

The incredible IB Program Coordinators at each school, Dana Browning and Emilee Hinegardner, banded together with many committed teachers to engage their students in year-long learning about global water issues, sustainable solutions, and how they can be involved in tackling water scarcity. The students talked with our engineers and hydrogeologists via Skype video calls while they were in the field in Kenya, learned more about the water cycle and Earth’s resources, and built empathy by learning what a day in the life of students across the world looks like when clean water is not available.

After much in-class learning and preparation, these two Round Rock ISD schools faced off last month to see who could raise the most funds to help rebuild a broken water well in the community of Mbalawala, Tanzania.

During Shower Strike week, the students got to choose between three options: no shower at all; a bucket bath; or a four-minute and 22-second shower, which uses about five gallons of water, to raise awareness and make an impact on the issues they’ve been learning about.

“For kids my age, just because they are at the other side of the world, doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t have as good of a life as we do,” Krish, who decided to do the bucket bath, told us.

“Thank you for those who donated! I have learned that saving water is important, that I need to preserve water. I also have a new appreciation for the resources I have readily available to me,” another student participant, Christopher (pictured here) wrote on his fourth day of Shower Strike.

Together, these two middle schools collectively raised over $13,500 — far surpassing their initial fundraising goal of $6,500.

And, these amazing Round Rock ISD students are just a few examples of the thousands of other young leaders across the world who are coming together to change the world through clean water.

Classrooms to Clean Water Impact

With more than $57,000 total raised this Shower Strike through the Classrooms to Clean Water program, we are able to provide access to clean water to more than 5,700, which is about the size of 10 U.S. middle schools, based on the average number of students per school.

We are so grateful for all of the student groups that participated, as well as those who donated to encourage and empower these young changemakers. We are excited to see these students continue to be a part of the solution and take what they learned from these experiences far into their adult lives.

As the Classrooms to Clean Water program expands, we have the opportunity to further connect global impact with local impact, and empower more youth to change the world. Will you join us?

Learn more about Classrooms to Clean Water and how to get involved here.