World Savvy: Building a Generation of Global Citizens

Educating and engaging youth to learn, work, and thrive as responsible global citizens.

The Problem

Many current K-12 education systems throughout the world were designed when standardized learning and testing aimed to prepare young people to succeed in standardized jobs and homogeneous communities. This system is not only outdated, but has also never adequately prepared all students for success. It is no longer a viable option for our shared world. The 2010 U.S. Census found that 90% of the United States’ population growth in the past decade was within groups previously considered minorities and estimates by 2042 there will be no ethnic or racial majority in the United States. As our world, and our local and national communities, become increasingly interconnected, interdependent, and diverse, this reality must be reflected in how and what we’re teaching our young people.

The Solution

World Savvy is a U.S.-based education nonprofit reimagining K-12 education for a more globally connected world. We know students must be prepared not only to succeed in the future, but also to take responsibility for a global community that will require even more resilient peacemakers, courageous problem solvers, and passionate leaders.

That’s why we’re empowering educators to make school inclusive, relevant, and engaging for all students, inspiring them to learn, work, and thrive as responsible global citizens.

In World Savvy Classrooms, students drive their own learning. They explore real-world global content and crucial social justice issues. Then students choose an issue that interests them such as climate change, conflict over immigration, or healthcare disparity. They explore the issue from multiple viewpoints, research potential solutions to address the root causes, think creatively and critically about how they can impact the issue both globally and locally, and develop plans to create change. Your support will help us fund this year’s World Savvy Festivals in the Twin Cities and the Bay Area, where hundreds of middle and high school students will come together to present their ideas for changing the world in front of an authentic audience of community members. One of our students who presented on human trafficking at a previous Festival said, “Even though we’re only 14, we have the power to help others understand the issue and help prevent it.”