'Steps for Students' Campaign Spotlights Barriers to School Accessibility

Global Education Nonprofit Launches October Crowdfunding Challenge For Children in Need

NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nonprofit buildOn launches its Steps for Students challenge today in support of the difficult and treacherous paths that young people take on their walk to school every day. Participants will walk 31 miles throughout the month of October and raise funds that will directly benefit students in the U.S. and in eight of the world's economically poorest countries.

Chicago Red Stars' Samantha Staab accepted buildOn's challenge, and despite a recent injury, is determined to walk in solidarity with buildOn students throughout October. "I'm so inspired by the lengths buildOn students go to not only receive an education, but to give back to their communities through service," says Staab. "If these students can overcome incredible odds to pursue their dreams, we can walk 31 miles to help them get there."

buildOn has been uniting communities through service and education to ignite a more equitable future since 1991. buildOn U.S. mobilizes high school students from marginalized communities to transform their neighborhoods through service. buildOn Global partners with low-income countries to build schools and provide access to education for children and adults.

In addition to dangerous, high traffic routes to school, Johns Hopkins University researchers found that U.S. students whose routes to school "required walking or waiting for a bus in areas with higher violent crime rates had higher rates of absenteeism." Fortunately, students who participate in buildOn's Service Learning Program attend school on average 15 more days per year compared to their uninvolved peers, and 98 percent graduate high school.

Globally, many students walk several miles, often through dangerous terrain, to attend school. That's why buildOn has constructed over 2,700 schools across eight economically developing countries, and is on track to break ground on more than one school every single day in 2025.

To join the walk with Staab and buildOn, visit buildon.org/steps-for-students. Downloadable photos of buildOn students can be found here. Learn more about buildOn's work to unite communities through service and education at buildon.org.

SOURCE buildOn, Inc.