“Be the Change, Bring the Change”: A Service Learning Project at Forest Hills Global Elementary

Christina Daniels built a giant paper water bottle on the wall outside her school’s cafeteria, where students could see it every day as they walked into the lunchroom. Students watched “water” fill up the bottle each day, whispering excitedly about meeting their fundraising goal to build a well in sub-Saharan Africa. Their “Be the Change, Bring the Change” service learning project was a week-long, school-wide initiative involving every teacher and student.

Forest Hills Global Elementary’s vision is “Explore the world. Be the change.” Christina Daniels, the global studies coordinator at the public school in Wilmington, NC, explained that the school has embraced global learning for nearly a decade.

“Now we are trying to take it to the next step and be a solution to problems we see in the world,” Daniels said. She and her principal, Boni Hall, learned about global frameworks for tackling key issues through online courses, and they realized these concepts could help integrate academic lessons with real-world problem-solving.

From Awareness to Action

The inspiration for the “Be the Change, Bring the Change” project came from researching international observances, including World Water Day (March 22). This global event highlights the importance of access to clean water. Building on this theme, the school administration proposed a week-long service learning project focused on fundraising to build a well in sub-Saharan Africa.

Daniels led water-focused lessons in every classroom, encouraging teachers to connect the theme to other activities. Students explored how they use water daily and linked these discussions to local water quality issues in Wilmington.

One kindergarten teacher took her students on a “field trip” around the school, asking custodians and cafeteria staff how they use water in their jobs. The physical education teacher organized relay races where students carried jugs of water and walked a mile, simulating the daily journey many people take to access clean water.

Throughout the week, students wrote on large paper water drops about how they could conserve water and make a difference. The school’s uniform policy became a creative fundraising tool: students could bring in coins to participate in themed dress-up days:

• Tuesday: Pajama Pennies Day
• Wednesday: Neon Nickels Day
• Thursday: Crazy Quarters Day
• Friday: Dazzling Dimes Day

Parents and the broader community were engaged through fliers about water conservation and updates shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Impact Beyond the Classroom

Daniels’ giant paper water bottle allowed students to see their progress toward raising $500 by the week’s end.

“This was the best project we did all year. It felt authentic,” Daniels said. “Kids felt like they were making a difference. They loved seeing the giant water bottle fill up with change every day when they walked by the cafeteria. The teachers loved seeing the difference in the students.”

By week’s end, the school had raised nearly $1,000—doubling their goal—and donated the funds to The Water Project, an organization dedicated to building and maintaining wells to ensure access to clean water.

Beyond fundraising, students began changing their habits, conserving water at school and home. “They talked about not wasting water in the bathroom and at the water fountain. At lunch, they made sure to finish their cups of water instead of throwing them away,” Daniels said.

A New Focus on Hunger

The success of this project inspired the school to take on new service learning challenges, with a current focus on raising awareness about hunger. Daniels reflected on the value of these projects:

“Exploring real-world challenges and being part of the solution gives students hope. They see they can make their community a better place.”

Follow Forest Hills Global Elementary on X to learn more about their inspiring initiatives to make a difference through learning.