SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Jill Gilday met with students from J.H. Sissons School last week to share her experience with youth after completing a 10-day run across the Sahara desert. She met with the students only two days after her return to Yellowknife.

Jill Gilday shows videos of her trek through the Sahara Desert to J.H. Sissons' Grade 4 students. - Adrian Lysenko/NNSL photo

Gilday was one of four youth ambassadors who joined adventurer Ray Zahab, founder of the non-profit group impossible2Possible, in running across Tunisia in April.

Called the Twenty10 H2O Initiative, the group aims to raise awareness about clean water and inspire young people to make a difference in the world.

"We were running about 30 to 40 km a day," said Gilday, who is also a speedskater.

Every other day Gilday and other participants would have a video conference with students from across North America, answering their questions.

"When we didn't want to get up each morning and run another 40 km we would talk to the kids and get excited about it again," she said.

Gilday, who attended J.H. Sissons in her youth, met with the students to talk about the lack of availability of water she witnessed on her trip.

School principal Paul Bennett said Gilday's visit fit in well with the school's mission statement of encouraging students to be active participants in the global community.

"There are problems out there and yes we can do something about it even though we're on the other side of the planet," said Bennett.

Because Gilday is a former student and speedskater, he added, school youth should be interested in what she has to say.

Gilday told students they have the ability to move mountains.

"I can believe in it all I want to, but it's when the students see it and believe in it - that's when things really start to happen," said Gilday.

"Hopefully from this I can get one or two other schools on board and we can do the same type of thing."

Gilday is also involved in fundraising for a project in conjunction with Ryan's Well, an organization based in Ontario, the objective being to raise $50,000 for a well in Uganda.

"We're calling it 'dollar day' - the goal is to raise a dollar for every student at the school," said Gilday.

"Whether it's sacrificing their can of Coke one day, it's something that can everyone get in on."