It’s May 19th, and for hundreds of competitive students at NASH, it’s time for the annual Project Water Dodgeball Tournament.
“I’ve played it every year since I’ve been in high school,” junior Johnny Castillo said, “It’s so much fun and I love being on a team with my friends.”
Although the day is centered around competitive dodgeball, its purpose runs deeper.
“The main goal of Project Water is to fund clean water wells in developing countries,” Mrs. Prosser, the NASH mathematics teacher who sponsors Project Water, said. “When it first started, we were working solely in Uganda. We funded several wells, a school, and community housing. Over the years, we have branched out and worked with several non-profits. Currently we are working with World Vision, an organization known for a huge amount of donations going to actual projects, not overhead. We have the goal of funding a medical center in Ghana, which would make a huge difference for a community. Currently in that area of the world, medical attention is most likely given in huts with no running water, so even for something as routine as giving birth, women must bring their own water just for their baby and themselves to be cleaned after giving birth.”
Earlier this spring, students registered their teams and chose a team color.
“I love getting to interact with students outside of the classroom environment,” Prosser added. ” The dodgeball day itself is always a fun time. It cracks me up to see how ‘into it’ students get! Outside of that, of course, it’s a blessing to be able to contribute to making a difference for people who aren’t as fortunate as we are.”
NASH junior Kaleb Kennedy has been looking forward to today for the last few months.
“I love playing dodgeball,” he said. “It’s such a fun game to play, and it’s nice to be able to get a break with friends.”
The tournament is conducted during the school day, and this year the location has been moved to the turf at Newman Stadium.
“I had a good time last year,” NASH senior Ava Ward said. “I enjoyed being around everyone and watching other teams play. Playing was also fun but intense. Other than that, it was a really fun day and I’m excited to play this year with my friends and watch the other games.”
