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SJHS Teacher Visits School in Africa Making a Difference Thousands of Miles Away
SJHS Teacher Visits Africa
Clean water means hope! Before this past school year ended, Springboro Schools raised over $7,100 to help build a well for Chitipi Primary School in Lilongwe, Malawi, Africa. With the help of Health/PE Teacher Randy Youst, 7th and 8th grade students at Springboro Junior High School partnered with DOXA Wells to build a new well for the nearly 1,500 students at Chitipi. Mr. Youst had the pleasure of visiting Chipiti Primary for two weeks in July to see the installation of the new well.

Upon Mr. Youst’s arrival to Chitipi, DOXA Wells began drilling, highlighting the different layers of dirt, clay, rock, and limestone they needed to drill through to get to the necessary water source. The completion of the new well was finished in ten (10) days, which started with drilling, supplying the water source, and ended with the construction of a concrete platform. Then, there were enough funds available from the money raised by Springboro Junior High, to repair an existing well. Mr. Youst, representatives from DOXA Wells, Chipiti’s Headmaster (Principal) and hundreds of Chipiti students were on-hand to celebrate the well’s first water pouring.

“The students’ smiles and laughs are always priceless and worth the trip,” said Randy Youst. “It’s amazing to see the heart of our Junior High students who are impacting the lives of thousands of students across the globe that they’ll never even get the chance to meet.”


Mr. Youst was inspired by a recent trip to Malawi and saw an opportunity to make an impact in the community by enlisting the help of his Junior High students to work with DOXA Wells, who would be supplying the equipment and providing the install. With such high demand for clean water near Chitipi Primary School, an additional well is needed. The importance of having a long-lasting, dependable well is crucial for clean and safe drinking water.

The students set out to hold a series of fundraisers over several weeks, with the goal being to raise $6,500, which is the estimated cost to provide a new well. These fundraisers included a Candy Sale, a Teacher Dunking Booth, and the Student Council donating proceeds from their Junior High Dance to the cause. The fundraising also included a “Walk for Water” where students walked 2.5 miles (or 10 laps) around the track at Watkins Stadium, carrying a full bucket of water, to simulate what it is like for the people in Malawi who walk 1-5 hours each day to retrieve dirty water for their village/school when there is no alternative. This inspired the name for the fundraising campaign, “Springboro Walk for Water.” The students not only achieved their fundraising goal, but eclipsed the mark, with more on the way. Additional funds raised will go toward repairs on existing wells.

“This is an important life lesson,” said Maureen Reuther, Principal at Springboro Junior High. “School is not just about academics, it’s also about life and how we treat one another. Sometimes we are going to have to help support those that are less fortunate, and I’m proud of our students and staff for stepping up and making a positive impact on those around the world.”