What is the Walk for Wisdom^SM?

The Walk for Wisdom^SM is a global education and service initiative that supports education and literacy. The Walk for Wisdom^SM was started in 2014 by students at Myers Park High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, and has since grown into a nation-wide initiative to benefit vulnerable children in some of the world's most remote and impoverished locations. As part of the Walk for Wisdom, students and school communities learn about the history of South Sudan—the world's newest and most fragile country—and the pressing need for education and peace there.

The Walk for Wisdom^SM is a perfect opportunity for schools looking to incorporate global learning into the classroom and empower the next generation of global citizen leaders. The Walk for Wisdom^SM is open to elementary, middle and high schools and is especially relevant for schools striving for recognition through IB programs, service requirements and global education standards.

The "Walk for Wisdom” is a symbolic name, because the famous former Lost Boys of Sudan walked 1,000 miles to reach safety and receive an education, and because many students in South Sudan walk 45 minutes or more to access clean water and attend school each day. The Walk for Wisdom^SM looks a little different at every participating school, but always includes these three elements: awareness, action and philanthropy. Many schools choose to host a signature 3-mile walkathon to raise funds to support primary schools in South Sudan, but schools can make a difference in many ways: Readathons, Half-and-Half Raffles, T-shirt Design Contests and more!

Why do the Walk for Wisdom^SM?

Impact for your school
The Walk for Wisdom^SM is a perfect opportunity for schools looking for ways to incorporate global learning into the classroom or bring more service opportunities to students on-campus. Past participating schools share that the Walk for Wisdom^SM:

• Develops student leadership
• Provides an easy way for students to learn about important global issues like education and access to clean water
• Allows schools to connect with former Lost Boys of Sudan

Impact for South Sudan
The Walk for Wisdom^SM supports education and peacebuilding in South Sudan, the world's newest country as of 2011.

The Walk for Wisdom^SM supports three primary schools in Ruweng State, South Sudan—where just 2% of boys and 1% of girls finish the eighth grade—and Jonglei State, South Sudan—an area very affected by conflict in recent years. Funds raised are designated for:

• Textbooks for classrooms and primary school readers for school libraries
• Solar lights for the families of children attending these schools
• Clean water sources to serve the school community

Many communities in the US first learned about South Sudan through the Lost Boys, a group of 4,000 refugees invited in 2001 to become US citizens. Since civil war ended in 2005, many former Lost Boys have inspired or initiated projects to make a difference in their home villages in South Sudan. To learn more about some of these projects, click here.

Walk for Wisdom^SM Sponsorship Opportunities

Businesses and corporations can become official Walk for Wisdom^SM sponsors through financial gifts or matching funds. Sponsoring the Walk for Wisdom^SM is a great way to support young people and school communities working to make a difference through global education and service. Special thanks to our Gold Level sponsors from 2016!

For information about how to become a Walk for Wisdom^SM sponsor contact [email protected].