DCDS Sixth Graders Build Empathy and Life Lessons

BEVERLY HILLS, Mich., May XX, 2019—Sixth grade students at Detroit Country Day School participated in a mile-long water walk carrying filled buckets of water over a hilly terrain to and from the Rouge River as part of the interdisciplinary unit on water scarcity and contamination. What began as a lesson within the Africa unit at Detroit Country Day School has grown into a unique, interactive moment in time for students to experience real hardships that exist around the world.

Before their journey, students are shown videos, asked to read articles and engage in group discussions about the global water crisis and how one billion people across the globe do not have access to clean drinking water. The sixth graders were fully immersed and educated on the topic to give them a decent understanding of the real struggle around the world.

“The African water walk project allows our students to literally walk a mile in someone else’s shoes,” said Jennifer Caylen, DCDS Middle School Global Studies Teacher. “By experiencing what millions of people go through each day to retrieve something we take for granted, we’re hoping to inspire our young students to take small steps in their own lives that will make a positive impact on this problem.”

Back in the classroom, the students reflected on their experience and shared their thoughts on the water walk. Students have drawn comparisons to the Flint Water Crisis, discussed ways to conserve water in their own lives and asked questions like “why do people still not have clean drinking water?” The purpose of the exercise is to not only educate students on the worldwide water crisis, but to provide an unforgettable experience and gain empathy and understanding for a billion people worldwide who struggle to find water clean enough to drink.

Detroit Country Day School offers students from preschool through high school an exemplary education rooted in academic rigor and a commitment to the full development of each student’s potential. The school is an independent, coeducational, non-denominational, college preparatory school nationally recognized for excellence in academics, athletics, and the fine and performing arts. Founded in 1914 by F. Alden Shaw, Detroit Country Day School today enrolls more than 1,500 students on four campuses located in Beverly Hills and Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. For additional information, please visit www.dcds.edu.