Education

Over the past 27 years, the World Affairs Council of Washington, D.C. has been dedicated and committed to supporting the education of international affairs in Washington, D.C. area students as well as middle and high school educators. Today, the Council sponsors a variety of programs during the academic year and summer to help enrich the knowledge of educators and students. Programs for educators include the Summer Institute and Professional Development Programs. Programs for students include Youth Forums, the Young Journalist Program, the Young Ambassadors Program, and Academic World Quest. These programs give educators and students in the Washington, DC metropolitan area the opportunity to develop and hone leadership and teamwork skills, gain knowledge of international affairs and of important global issues, and meet a variety of influential leaders, experts, and newsmakers.

Programs available for educators include the week-long Summer Institute on International Affairs and one-day Professional Development Programs throughout the academic year. These programs help educators discover creative and interesting ways of integrating international affairs in the classroom, expand their academic resources, and enhance their knowledge-base on specific issues. Past topics for educator programs include the U.S. and the Arab World, terrorism, U.S. Foreign Policy, democracy and reform, and East Asia.

Programs for students include Youth Forums, the Young Journalist Program, the Young Ambassadors Program, and Academic WorldQuest. These programs give students in the Washington, DC area the opportunity to develop leadership and teamwork skills, travel and study abroad, gain knowledge of international affairs and important global issues, and meet a variet of influential leaders, experts, and newsmakers. In the past, students traveled to Costa Rice and Spain, met and spoke with Ambassador Bruce Laingen, former U.S. hostage in Iran, and attended interactive day-long programs regarding global poverty.

In addition to programming, the World Affairs Council of Washington, DC sponsors it annual Global Education Dinner. At this dinner, the Council commemorates yearly achievements and also honors citizens, teachers, U.S. and World leaders, and Council supporters for the continued education of the national capital area community about issues of international affairs. Each year, the Global Service Award, the Global Citizenship Award, and Teacher of the Year are awarded at the dinner. The 2007 recipients are –

Honorable Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) – Global Service Award

Alma Johnson Powell, America’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth, Chair – Global Citizen Award

Julie Caccamise, Woodrow Wilson Senior High School, Washington, DC – Teacher of the Year