To fully understand the walk Sudanese children must take daily to acquire water, middle school seventh-graders mimicked the journey during a field trip to Ponquogue Beach in Hampton Bays on May 26.

Directed by their teachers, the students made the trek down the beach, pausing to reflect on the life of 11-year-old Salva Dut, who they read about in the book, “A Long Walk to Water” by Linda Sue Park.

Following the simulation, they participated in a variety of hands-on activities, including dancing and art, that gave them further insight into the lives of the characters portrayed in the book.