A local elementary teacher has chosen an unusual way to raise money for his students.
Tyler Sassaman, a reading specialist at Prairie Seeds Academy, a Hmong charter school in Brooklyn Park, is embarking on a lengthy canoe trip.
"This summer I'm going to paddle the upper section of the Mississippi which is 1,000 miles from the headwaters of Itasca, all the way down to Hannibal, Missouri, which is the birthplace of Samuel Clemens," says Sassaman.
That person, of course, is better known as Mark Twain.
Now, Huck Finn's adventures didn't actually include canoeing, and he sure didn't use his trip as a fundraiser.
"This money is to go to outdoor education, get kids outdoors in a safe way, back to connecting with each other, and connecting with the natural world," explains Sassaman.
The 50 day journey serves as a personal challenge, but also serves a good cause, after a difficult time for many of his students.
"Raise money to support kids at my school at Prairie Seeds Academy, a Hmong charter school in Brooklyn Park with the Operation Metro Surge and the ICE activities," he adds. "A lot of kids were staying home and just generally disconnected from their peers and families were also isolated. And so this money is to go to outdoor education."
He says the one aspect of the trip he's not looking forward to? It's one we can all related to: the bugs.
