During a book read in her fourth-grade class last year, Audrey Groger learned how villagers in South Sudan would walk as much as six miles — sometimes on rocky terrain — for water. As a distance runner, she could easily imagine how long and arduous the journey must have been.
“I’ve run a 10K and I felt that was super long and people have to walk that just to get water that isn’t even clean,” she said. “I never knew that existed until then.”
The lesson left an indelible mark. Groger, now a fifth-grader at Hanby Elementary, is organizing a 5K fundraiser to help provide clean, safe water to vulnerable communities in South Sudan as part of her Passion Project assignment in Jenny Findell’s class.
“We have never had a student take on such a complicated, impactful project as Audrey Groger has this year,” Findell said.
“We are so incredibly proud of what she has accomplished. She has absolutely blown us away.”
As part of the Passion Project assignment, students work with their peers and teachers to identify a question or challenge to research. Students develop a product based on what they learned that allows them to share it with a greater audience. Students keep track of their progress and reflect on their learning. At the end of the project, every student makes a presentation about their experience which is shared with the school community.
When Groger first started working on her Passion Project, she immediately thought of organizing a 5K because of her love of running and wondered how she could help others. After some research, Groger decided to direct the proceeds of the 5K to Water for South Sudan, a not-for-profit group focused on delivering sustainable quality-of-life services to the people of South Sudan by providing access to clean, safe water and improving hygiene and sanitation practices in areas of great need.
Groger also reached out to Eric Fruth, her cross country coach at Columbus Running Company. He helped her through the process of planning her 5K, including buying insurance, building a website and getting her entire team to participate in the race.
“She has had support from adults, but it is Audrey who is running the show,” Findell said. “She is making decisions about her mission, logistics, and money. She is keeping track of all the moving parts of this race, designing posters, making a website, talking to adults to get their support and the resources she needs.”
Groger hopes her race will reach capacity.
“Having 250 participants in the 5k means that I have succeeded,” she said. “My project will be complete and I have the maximum amount of donations going to help install water pumps in South Sudan.”
Groger’s Run for Water 5K is 10 a.m. May 13 at Westerville North High School’s cross country course. It is open to all ages. Register here.