Robert R. Lazar Middle School

Montville, New Jersey, USA 

Global Connections---Adopting a Country

After a program featuring John Bul Dau and his story as one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, the students of Lazar Middle School decided to focus all humanitarian projects on the Village of Duk County in Sudan, Africa, earning them recognition for being the largest fundraiser among schools in the United States. Research on the Sudan crosses all curricular areas as they learn of the hardships faced by refugees and orphans. A run-a-thon, sponsored by the school and involving the broader community, raised over $23,000 to build a health clinic. Additional research revealed the importance of wearing shoes to avoid intestinal or hook worms that can make a big impact on a person’s physical well being, so students launched the “Shoes for Children” campaign. The “Library Project” is the most recent effort to raise funds to provide books and educational materials for the children and families of Duk County. Evidence of this focus on the Sudan can be found throughout the school, from the students’ journal entries to discussions in social studies classes. Their continual efforts help students to see that they are a part of the bigger world and that they have the ability to make a difference.