Last year, my students did something amazing: they decided not just to study world history, but to impact it.

Their weapons were spare change, word of mouth, sacrificial giving, and perseverance. By the end of the years, these 50-some high school freshmen had raised $2015. Their "idea" in October of 2011 had turned into actual, verifiable access to clean water for roughly 100 human beings.

With this year's freshmen, the goal is higher. Last year's philanthropic entrepreneurs learned many lessons the hard way, and, prior to thanksgiving, this year's students are seeking to carry out simple, effective fundraising strategies, and their goal is to raise $2016 -- the year of their graduation.

The neatest thing about this particular fundraising campaign is that every cent we raise will go towards building water systems in the Rulindo district of Rwanda. This perfectly ties in to our recent unit on imperialism in Africa because Belgian imperialism in Rwanda planted seeds that would later become genocide of 1994.

Many of my students were horrified to learn that the world, including the USA, did little while nearly a million Rwandans died. This fundraising campaign is their response. While access to clean water--life's most basic need--kills approximately 1 child every 19 seconds, they refuse to sit idly by.

Your donation will greatly encourage these young people. They are our future.

Join them.

Sincerely,
Dave Stuart

PS Did I mention that I will teach in a pilgrim costume for one day if this money is raised by the first minute of Thanksgiving?