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  Winter 2011 
After an amazing fall semester at Global Kids, we are gearing up for a busy new year. Read about some highlights and most of all, have a wonderful holiday season!

Alumni On the Ground

Thanks to a special grant from the Rita Allen Foundation, Global Kids is expanding its social media efforts. We're building our capacity to connect with you, our community, more often and in more meaningful ways. Check out all our latest developments by liking our Like us on Facebook Facebook page and following us on Follow us on Twitter Twitter! 

 

In addition, we are thrilled to launch our new tumblr site: http://globalkids.tumblr.com, now featuring articles from GK alumni who are traveling across the country and around the world. Click below find out what life is like after Global Kids. On the Ground Blog.  

Global Kids Celebrates International Education Week

Global Kids held events in New York and at the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. this November in honor of International Education Week. The two "report back" events focused on GK's summer travel programs to Kenya and Brazil. Check out highlights from the Kenya report back by watching the video below or read about the Brazil program in this recent Washington Post blog.   

Bardoli Global Scholars - Short Video.mov
Highlights from the Kenya Report Back 

In addition to International Education Week, students commemorated World AIDS Day on December 1st and International Human Rights Day on December 10th with activities designed to raise awareness among students. Youth at the High School for Global Citizenship educated their peers about the gravity and scope of the disease and resources available for treatment. GK also hosted a screening of the documentary "Thembi," which chronicles efforts to raise awareness about HIV in Africa by a woman herself infected with the disease. 

HRAP Gears Up for Climate Change  

Students from the Human Rights Activist Project (HRAP) are building momentum for what promises to be their biggest campaign yet. Five different Global Kids sites are working to build a case for climate justice that they plan to present to world leaders at the Rio+20 Earth Summit in Brazil this June. Throughout the year, each site will work to highlight a different climate change issue and will prepare to send student representatives trained in that issue to Rio in June. Thus far, students have accomplished the following: 

  • Collected signatures for a petition calling on President Obama to attend Rio+20. 
  • Attended an all day retreat at the Global Kids office focused on pressing environmental issues like fracking. Students participated in workshops and did a Q&A with a panel of environmental activists.
  • Hosted 28 representatives from 14 countries for one week of youth advocacy planning in preparation for the Earth Summit.
  • Held an event calling on Mayor Bloomberg to attend Rio+20. Check out the video below!  
Global Kids Invite Bloomberg to Rio+20 Earth Summit
Global Kids Invite Bloomberg to Rio+20 Earth Summit
Playing 4 Keeps

We're thrilled to be offering afterschool programs at our Manhattan headquarters four days a week. In one program, Playing 4 Keeps (P4K), youth learn sophisticated game design skills while simultaneously researching critical global issues like poverty, climate change, and democracy. Students work together to develop and build their own games to address school, community, and global concerns. Throughout the program, students enjoy opportunities to meet and talk about game design with some of the leading innovators in the field and take field trips to see game production underway. 

CFR  

Global Kids is grateful for its ongoing partnership with the Council on Foreign Relations, which provides our youth with unique opportunities to interact and engage with senior foreign policy experts. This fall, students met and conversed with policy experts about the current state of US-Iran relations, and the greater implications of this relationship for the region. Earlier this week, youth heard from Colonel Chad Manske about the United States' involvement in the NATO Libya Mission, and had the opportunity to learn from the perspective of a senior military leader.

College Prep 

It's college application time! GK students prepared for life after high school by exploring the campuses, academic programs and cafeterias of Brooklyn College, Adelphi University, New School University, UPenn, and Temple University. Global Kids conducted two college application parties where students received individualized help on their college applications from volunteers and staff. Thanks to everyone who came out to support our young people at these two events! 

GK Trainers Hit the Road

 

When not conducting programs themselves, our staff can often be found training other educators in Global Kids' unique, innovative approach to global learning and youth development. Staff were pleased to offer professional development trainings to educators and nonprofits this fall in Texas, Indiana, New Orleans, and San Francisco. Training topics included Organizational Culture, Global Service Learning, Games-Based Education, Building Capacity and Engaging Older Adolescents. Click here to view a full list of GK's professional development trainings for adults.  

In This Issue:
Alumni on the Ground
International Education Week
Climate Change
Playing 4 Keeps
Council Roundtable
College Prep
Trainers Hit the Road
Student Spotlight
GK Builds Self-Confidence  
 97% of GK students say that participating in Global Kids has helped them feel comfortable being themselves around others. 
 
Student Spotlight:
John Connors

John is a GK Leader who traveled to England through Global Kids and participated in GK's Summer Institute at the CFR. Following his participation in the Institute, John researched the famine in Somalia and gave a presentation at John Adams High School on November 16th and 29th. John says he was inspired to do the project on famine and refugee camps in Somalia after hearing Edem Wosornu from the Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) at the UN speak during the Summer Institute. "It's a big topic that barely anyone knew about and I wanted to share that there is a big problem in the horn of Africa right now so that others can be aware."  Following his presentation, John asked his peers to join him in a letter writing campaign to thank individuals like Ms. Wosomu who have rallied to support the Somali people.

Student Spotlight: 
Cynthia Chan

Like John, Global Kids Youth Leader Cynthia Chan participated in GK's Summer Institute at the CFR. Cynthia says, "The Institute meant a lot to me because I actually felt as if I was making a change in the world by educating myself. I learned that it's one thing to learn, but another to take action." Cynthia is currently converting her education into action in GK's HRAP Program. She hopes to travel with the group to Brazil for the Rio+20 Conference this summer because, "it is a chance for the world to come together to take further steps to reduce the effects of climate change." 

 

    


Global Kids, Inc.

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