April 21, 2026
By MEALAND RAGLAND-HUDGINS
Rutherford County Schools
For members of the Siegel High School Humanities Academy, a field trip earlier this year has inspired a fundraising campaign.
Students have set a goal of $10,000 to build a well in Uganda after visiting the Experience Lab by charity: water, a nonprofit designed to provide clean water in remote areas of the world.
Globally, nearly 700 million people are without clean water, according to the nonprofit. Limited access can have a negative impact on health, education and financial stability.
Siegel’s Humanties Academy is sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts at Middle Tennessee State University and is designed to help students understand how skills such as communication and critical thinking translate into leadership, civic engagement and workforce readiness.
Senior Shanna Sikes is part of the Siegel Builds a Well team and said the fundraiser is built on the belief that small donations at home “can change lives on the other side of the world.”
“After a field trip to the (Experience Lab) and speaking via Zoom with a gentleman living in Uganda, our club saw the devastating reality of the global water crisis firsthand,” Sikes said. “We were moved to do more than just learn — we decided to act.”
The campaign goal is $10,000 and fundraising ends May 15.
“If we don’t make (goal) this year, we will keep going until the well can be built,” Sikes said.
To donate, visit https://tinyurl.com/ysunyef3.