Santa Barbara Students Meet Real-Life Hero Who Inspired Their Fight for Clean Water

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) - Excitement is in the air as students meet Salva Dut — the real-life hero behind A Long Walk to Water.

“They were literally jumping out of their chairs … they could not process the fact they the many they read about was coming her … were just so excited to meet this really inspiring man," said teacher Amanda Olson of Vieja Valley Elementary School.

The sixth graders raised money to bring clean water to families in South Sudan — the same mission Salva started years ago.

“In the other part of the world they don’t have clean drinking water and it’s very important for children like this to understand that water is very important and they should take care of the water," said founder Salva Dut of Water for South Sudan.

For the students, it’s the moment the story came to life — meeting the man whose courage inspired their classroom project.

"And even though they’re children that they can put their voices together, and they can put their energy together to create real change in our world," said teacher Alexa Mannion of Vieja Elementary School.

Teachers hope their students will cherish all they’ve learned from this book for years to come.

“I’m very excited to see these children step out of their comfort zone and reach out to the world to support others. It’s total responsibility for this children to be able to see the humanity to help others," said Salva.

For Salva, it’s proof the next generation is already creating change one drop at a time.

The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With the Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.