Cool Kid Justine Wu on mission to bring clean, drinkable water to world

CERRITOS, Calif. (KABC) -- She's a teen on a mission. High school student Justine Wu has even taken her cause - efforts to end the global water crisis - to the United Nations.

She told the audience there, "It is our job to educate our peers to give them a deeper understanding of these issues."

Justine takes the topic very seriously. .

"Day to day", she said, "I think we take for granted the clean water we have."

The 17-year-old's passion to help ignited after learning about The Thirst Project, in which students have helped raise $10 million to bring clean water to more than 400,000 people around the world.

Justine said, "For it to be their first time to touch clean water, seeing the smiles on their faces, that was mind blowing to me. I think that pushed me to be like, we really need to do something about it."

She's also teaming up with her principal at Whitney High School in Cerritos to hold numerous fundraisers and awareness campaigns to educate her fellow students about the need for clean water..

"She has been such a positive impact on our campus, but not only to Whitney, but to our community," said John Briquelet, Whitney High School's principal.

It's all just part of why Justin is ABC7's Cool Kid. An hour, she says helps spread the word about helping others.

"I believe that every kid has the ability to make a difference in the world. And I want to share my story -- big or small you can make a difference."