School Secretary Susan Strawbridge wades through the mud and goose poop around JC’s campus in her bare feet. Strawbridge took part in TOMS Day Without Shoes, a nationwide campaign to raise awareness for children around the world without shoes.

The walk was held on Tuesday, April 6, in conjunction with senior Ellen Barker’s senior project. Barker is raising awareness about the children of the world who go without shoes every day.

For each pair of TOMS shoes that are sold, the company donates one pair to a child in a developing country.

According to Barker, shoeless children can contract diseases like tetanus and jiggers.

“When children don’t have shoes they cannot attend school which affects their education,” said Barker.

“I wanted to do a barefoot walk to give students a perspective of what other children do every day,” Barker said.

“When I first got out there I thought I can’t do this,” said Strawbridge.  “The ground was cold and wet and we stepped in mud and goose poop.  That was gross.”

Still, Strawbridge called the walk an “eye opener.”

“It was fulfilling to walk without shoes for one day so other kids don’t have to,” senior Megan Cullip said.