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Winter 2014
The GK 5K was a Huge Success!

Cold rainy weather did not keep more than 120 runners and walkers from participating in the Global Kids 25th Anniversary 5K Run/Walk at Flushing Meadows Park on November 1.  This spirited group of supporters helped raise over $27,000 for Global Kids' College and Career Readiness program.

Global Kids staff and students at the GK 5K
For many GK students our college and career readiness program is vital.  It not only helps them explore higher education opportunities and navigate the application process, but also provides support during their time in college.

"Being part of Global Kids definitely helped me stay in college," says GK alumna Sabienne Brutus, "not only because I was always updating my Global Kids Trainers about my time at Tufts University, but also because of all the skills I acquired."

Evie Hantzopoulos, Global Kids' Executive Director, says, "We are grateful that so many people participated in this event to help GK youth go on to higher education, something every student deserves."

Click here to watch the NY1 news segment on the race!

 

The Hunger Games Meets Minecraft:  GK Launches Exciting New Program

Global Kids, in partnership with The Harry Potter Alliance, the Bronx Museum of the Arts and the Brooklyn Public Library launched a new program called "HungerCraft."  Tapping into the enormous popularity of the game Minecraft and the young adult novel "The Hunger Games," the Global Kids-created "HungerCraft" game mashes up the two to examine income inequality and build twenty-first century skills for youth from underserved communities.

Students playing HungerCraft at the Bronx Museum of the Arts
This November, Global Kids held two "HungerCraft" game jams at the Bronx Museum of the Arts and the Brooklyn Public Library.  The students attending the program formed two groups, one for the Capitol and another for District 12, and played the game designed around the narrative of "The Hunger Games."  After playing, the youth discussed problems with distribution of resources within the game and linked this issue to income inequality in our society.  Global Kids will have several more "HungerCraft" game jams in the next few months in NYC.

"What makes this program unique is that through the use of a popular game and book," says Juan Rubio, Associate Director of Global Kids' Online Leadership Program, "youth begin to think critically about real world issues."


This program is funded through the Hive Digital Media Learning Fund and the Mozilla Foundation.

 

Global Kids Go Global:  Bosnia and Herzegovina Trip Talk Back Event at Baruch College
                        
Global Kids students at Baruch College presenting their experiences from their trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina
This summer, 20 Global Kids students participated in the American Youth Leadership Program (AYLP) trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was funded through the US State Department. On November 2, the students and adult educators who went to the region gathered at Baruch College to report on their life-changing trip to their families, other students, GK staff and friends of Global Kids.

The students spoke to the audience about their preparations for the trip, homestay families, media projects and the history of Bosnia.  After their presentations, there was time for a question and answer session. 

 

In addition to the presentations, everyone enjoyed delicious Bosnian food and watched a short film about the students' time in the region and how it has impacted their lives.

 

GK-DC is Chosen for the Mayor's Youth Leadership Institute

Global Kids-DC was recently awarded a contract to design and implement the Global Education Program for the Washington, DC Mayor's Youth Leadership Institute (MYLI), a program of the Department of Employment Services (DOES). MYLI is a year-round program that trains District of Columbia youth in the concepts of leadership and self-development.  

Global Kids-DC Students in GK's Mayor's Youth Leadership Institute


 
Aligned with GK's overall mission, the Global Education Program aims to develop young leaders for the global stage. Program participants are trained through weekly workshops and an intensive six-week summer institute that engages youth in meaningful international affairs content and career paths.  

 

After successful completion of the school-year and summer programs, youth are also given the opportunity to apply and participate in a 10-day international trip.  GK is thrilled to be collaborating with MYLI and DOES in DC for this innovative program! 

Global Kids' Climate Change Activists Are Hard at Work

Students in Global Kids' Human Rights Activist Project (HRAP) continue their climate change activist work. In December, GK students and staff and representatives from the Alliance for Climate Education met with Jerrel Burney, the Deputy Chief of Staff from City Council Member Donovan Richards', a co-sponsor of a climate education resolution, office to discuss how they can help move the resolution forward in the City Council.  

The following week ,GK Leaders and City Council Member Costa Constantinides, the other co-sponsor of the climate education resolution, devised strategies for making climate education a reality. The council member told the youth he was inspired by their leadership.

In a follow up to the People's Climate March, Global Kids co-sponsored the 350NYC climate justice rally on December 10, International Human Rights Day, calling for the United Nations to take serious action on climate change.  Kevin Murungi, Global Kids Director of Human Rights and Foreign Policy Programs and GK Leader Yassmine Hussein were featured speakers.  Click here to watch Yassmine's powerful speech on why she continues to be a climate change activist.
GK Leaders with City Council Member Constantinides

 

Global Kids Grows

GK staff and students at the School for Human Rights on International Day of the Girl

Last year, Global Kids was working in 23 middle schools and high schools in New York City and Washington, DC. For the 2014-2015 school year, GK has expanded to 36 schools!  

 

We hired 12 new full-time Trainers, a Director of Middle Schools, 14 part-time Trainers, four teaching artists and several teachers to run the various programs which will offer thousands of hours of programming to students throughout the school year.  


We feel fortunate to be reaching so many students!

 

Career Exploration Opportunities


In early November, Global Kids students attended the 2nd Annual Global Kids Lunch & Learn at BMO Capital Markets.  GK Leaders had a chance to hone their interview skills, learn more about the banking industry, and network with senior executives within the company. 

Later that month, Time Warner Cable employees participated in an employee volunteer day with Global Kids' students at the Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School (WHEELS). They spent the day re-painting classrooms, creating a mural and decorating the hallway. The youth also got to sit down with the adults for a career exploration discussion. 

Youth I.N.C. Young Professionals Board hosted a "Career Night" in December for Global Kids youth.  The evening began with a panel discussion about career choice, how they knew what they wanted to do, how they navigated college and the importance of internships. After the presentation, the panelists and students broke into small groups to give the students an opportunity to meet with the panelists one-on-one.

Many members of our Young Professionals Committee have lent very helping hands at Global Kids' fall college application parties.

We are grateful to these (and many other) companies, organizations and people for the opportunities they present to our youth!


Time Warner Employees with Global Kids students at the Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School

 

In This Issue:
GK 5K
HungerCraft Game Jam
Bosnia and Herzegovina Talk Back Event
GK-DC Mayor's Youth Leadership Institute
Climate Change Work
Global Kids Grows
Career Exploration Opportunities
  
Middle School Student Profile
Malak Mohsin

Malak Mohsin, an eighth grader at Global Neighborhood Secondary School, began Global Kids last year and became a peer mediator game designer.  Global Kids helped her translate her love of tech and video games into designing and coding her own socially conscious video games.  She created a game exploring the prejudices Muslim girls in the United States often face.  As a peer mediator, she listened to other students' issues without judgment and helped them resolve their conflicts.  She plans on continuing designing games and her peer mediation work this year.  Malik also hopes to be valedictorian of her class.
  
Global Kids-DC Student Profile
 Cortney Haskell
 
Cortney Haskell, a senior at Bell Multicultural High School, has participated with Global Kids since his sophomore year. At first, Cortney describes how the program helped him to open up and "meet new friends," engaging with peers from different backgrounds from his. Cortney quickly flourished as a leader, organizing a conference on immigration at his school and becoming a spokesperson for Global Kids.  He represented the GK-DC program at the National Summer Learning Association event with First Lady Michelle Obama.  He also earned a spot to travel to Costa Rica with GK this summer. This year Cortney makes time for Global Kids despite his busy senior schedule and mentors many of the younger participants. 

  
  

SAVE THE DATES!

 

GLOBAL KIDS-DC BENEFIT ON FEBRUARY 24


 

GLOBAL KIDS BENEFIT ON APRIL 1 


 

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

  
  


Did you know that you can donate to Global Kids at no extra cost through your purchases at Amazon and Good Shop?

 For Amazon purchases, go to smile.amazon.com, log into your account, choose Global Kids as your charitable organization, and .5% of the purchase price of your Amazon items will go to Global Kids.

For Good Shop, go to this search page and choose your stores.  Global Kids will get a percentage from most of your purchases.

It's a great way to support Global Kids when you do your holiday (and everyday) shopping!  Thanks! 


  
 
This year is the 25th Anniversary of Global Kids.  Help us continue our vital work.  Support Global Kids today!



 


Global Kids, Inc.

137 East 25th St.  l  2nd Floor  l  New York, NY 10010
641 S Street NW  I  Suite 202B  I  Washington, DC 20001 
info@globalkids.org  l  212.226.0130  l  www.globalkids.org

 

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