This summer, two leaders of West Islip High School’s Thirst Project – current senior and club president Ian Nilsen and 2017 graduate and former president Lena Seltzer – will travel to South Africa and Swaziland as guests of Thirst Project to help build and document wells, celebrating with the communities who will now have access to clean water, thanks to the West Islip community. This trip is a gift from Thirst Project as a thank you for the students’ continued hard work on behalf of the organization.
West Islip Thirst Project was started in March 2012, after teacher and club adviser Paola Nilsen noticed a tweet about the world’s largest youth water activism organization by actress and activist Pauley Perrette.
“Once I read about it, I sent an email to the founder and CEO, Seth Maxwell, inquiring about the percentage of donations that go directly to drill a water project in a developing nation,” said Paola Nilsen. “When Mr. Maxwell replied that 100 percent of student donations go to building fresh water projects for those 663 million people worldwide who lack access to clean water, I brought the charity to my International Baccalaureate Italian class at West Islip High School.”
Since the club’s inception, it has raised more than $116,400 for sustainable water projects in India, El Salvador, Swaziland and Uganda, proving safe, clean drinking water to more than 4,500 people. It is estimated that approximately 663 million people worldwide lack safe water sources.
Over the six years that the club has been running in West Islip, both Paola Nilsen and her students have been recognized at Thirst Project’s annual gala in Beverly Hills, California. In 2013, Paola Nilsen was presented the Volunteer of the Year award at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. In 2016, seniors Taylor Sorice and Alicia Villafana won the Power of Youth award at the gala; the two students were also awarded a free 2017 trip to Africa to see some of the communities they had helped.
Currently, West Islip’s chapter of Thirst Project has more than 125 active members, who raise money and awareness about the global water crisis through sporting events, local restaurant events, Paint Night fundraisers, recycling bottles and cans from the high school, yard sales, community donations, and even designing and selling custom merchandise. Each fall, the group also organizes a paper goods drive for Our Lady of Lourdes community pantry.
“We are very active on social media platforms, trying to educate those who don’t know about the global water crisis,” said Paola Nilsen. “It is a life-threatening problem that these students are convinced they can eradicate in their lifetime.”
In January, West Islip Thirst Project hosted its fourth annual teachers vs. students volleyball tournament to raise awareness and funds for their second sustainable water well of the school year.
“This yearly tournament is one of the highlights of the school year, pitting faculty and staff against student teams,” said West Islip High School Assistant Principal Craig Gielarowski. “Though the teachers always prove to be valiant opponents, they have yet to win a tournament title. We appreciate their willingness to play in support of our club.”
Ian Nilsen and fellow member Cayla Romano had set a donations goal of $30,000 at the beginning of September, one which they had already surpassed by February. Their revised goal is $37,000. On May 31, the group will host its second annual Thirst Gala at Bergen Point Country Club in West Babylon, and on June 21, it will host its first charity golf outing at the Bergen Point Golf Club.
“Much of our success this year is a result of generous donations to our online platform, through which members have given up their birthdays for donations for clean water projects,” said West Islip Thirst Project club adviser Paola Nilsen. “These dedicated students have learned that mortality rates drop within days of having access to clean water. Children and women who were forced to walk an average of 3.75 miles for contaminated water, now have time to go to school or to work. Communities that are suffering with cholera, dysentery, malaria, diarrhea and parasites can see a dramatic drop in those diseases within days of having access to clean water.”
Nilsen is confident the community will continue its backing of the students’ initiative.
“Our West Islip community has been so generous, attending our events and supporting our student members for the past six years, and we are hopeful that they can help us meet the new goal,” she said.
Photo Captions:
IMG_4413: West Islip Thirst Project student members Amber Zaccaria, Ian Nilsen and Cayla Romano brought donations to Trish Frodell of Our Lady of Lourdes community pantry.
IMG_4414: West Islip Thirst Project student members and siblings Grace and Lawrence Shaefer helped recycle around the high school to raise donations for water projects.
IMG_4415: West Islip Thirst Project hosted its fourth annual teachers vs. students volleyball tournament to raise awareness and funds for their second sustainable water well of the school year.
Photos courtesy of the West Islip School District
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