When Bol Aweng was six years old, a civil war broke out in his home country of Sudan. He and 35,000 others, dubbed "The Lost Boys" traveled thousands of miles through dangerous and treacherous conditions to safety. While in refugee camps, Mr. Aweng developed his art skills and when he came to the United States, he eventually settled in Columbus where he raised awareness and funding for a medical clinic for his village in Sudan.

 

In partnership with the REA, Mr. Aweng spoke to a captivated Reynoldsburg crowd of community members, parents and students. He told his story, on which he based his book, The Journey of Hope,  bringing hope and inspiration to the room.

 

Mr. Aweng also had his art work on display, and met with everyone who came to hear him speak. Peirce, a sophomore at eSTEM, purchased his book and an art print. Students from HS2 came to hear him speak, and Superintendent Melvin Brown introduced Mr. Aweng.

 

REA purchased his book so each building would get a copy, and they also held a raffle where 10 students recieved gift cards to Half Priced Books to encourage reading.