Teacher at Deutsche Schule runs for funds

More than 1.1 billion people across the globe lack access to safe drinking water, while 6,000 people die each day from consuming contaminated water - a total of 2.2 million people per year. People suffering from waterborne illnesses occupy half of the world's hospital beds, and many women in Africa and Asia women must walk an average of 6.5 kilometers to obtain safe drinking water. In an effort to combat this crisis, the Deutsche Schule Prag (DSP) is supporting one of its teachers, who will travel from Prague to Morocco - raising funds and educating students along the way.

David Chrištof is an English teacher at DSP, which has been a place for Czech-German interaction between students in kindergarten, primary and secondary schools since 2001. Chrištof is also an experienced runner who has 21 marathons and 13 ultra-marathons under his belt. This year, Chrištof aims to inspire physical activity as well as educate thousands of students about the safe drinking water crisis by traveling 3,000 kilometers - running 1,000 and biking another 2,000 - all the way to Morocco. Chrištof plans to present lectures and speak with students during his stops at 30 schools across six countries.

"They will see there is more to life than videogames and television," he says.

In 2012, Chrištof ran from Prague to London, successfully raising $12,000, which he donated to Blue Planet Network, an organization that provides more than 1 million people worldwide with safe drinking water. In turn, they gave the money to the St. Bonaventure School in Mulajji Village, Uganda, where 700 school children are now receiving drinkable water. The funds raised this year will go toward providing another school in Africa with water, too.

During Chrištof's run to London, students at DSP tracked his progress on Facebook. This year, in addition to Facebook updates, students were more actively involved with the planning stages and will remain engaged throughout Chrištof's journey.

"Through his actions, David has been promoting values that we hold in high regard, whether it is his caring for others, his awareness of the significance of clean drinking water or his personal commitment to a cause," DSP Vice Principal Stephan Beyer says. "I think our students have a chance to learn a lot from him."

For one week at the end of January this year, approximately 15 DSP students worked closely with Chrištof to deepen their understanding of his "Water is Life" campaign. Students learned firsthand about the water crisis and researched schools for Chrištof to visit during his journey. They also drew a large-scale map that will hang in the school's auditorium and on which they will track Chrištof's progress.

Additionally, the physical education teacher at DSP is organizing a "Run with David" program, through which students will compare their own activity with Chrištof's. Using a digital tracking device, students can record the number of kilometers they run during class and measure their personal feats against the map of Chrištof's progression.

The students' involvement will not only be physical, however. To supplement the conversational English class Chrištof teaches at DSP, his students will have the opportunity to Skype with him once or twice a week during his absence.

On April 22, the entire student body will participate in a send-off ceremony for Chrištof. Students will be invited to join Chrištof on a symbolic run around the school and, if they wish, they can continue running with him for his initial 5 kilometers. Chrištof says he wants to open students' minds to new possibilities.

The project complements the school's curriculum, which emphasizes students' knowledge of other countries and cultures, promoting openness to the world, tolerance and peacefulness.

By continuously supporting him, Chrištof says DSP is demonstrating its understanding of education - that learning is not only about what happens inside the classroom, but philanthropic work outside the classroom is equally as important.

Beyer says he believes Chrištof's actions will inspire DSP students to become more determined and self-assured in their own pursuits of goals and dreams. Because of his campaign, he says, students have also already become more sensitive to and aware of the worsening global water crisis.

Members of the public are invited to join the 450 students from Deutsche Schule Prag April 22 for Chrištof's sendoff, where, before beginning his journey, he will speak and answer questions about the water crisis. On June 26, DSP will welcome him home from Morocco.

Chrištof says he follows the words of Mahatma Gandhi and aims to lead by example. "I feel like [students] will be inspired just by seeing it," he says. "You need to be the change you want to see in the world."

Emily McDermott can be reached at
features@praguepost.com