World Savvy

I have always been a huge fan of World Savvy. What a noble cause — the pursuit of sharing global knowledge and awareness with today’s youth, so they will be able to function in their future world. That’s something worth getting behind…

The Executive Director, Dana Curran, is my hero. She is smart, passionate, and definitely committed to teaching middle and high school students about global affairs.
What is great is that this organization works with the teachers to integrate lessons into the curriculum, and this includes schools where studying international affairs may be seen as a luxury.
Dana has, very intelligently, focused on two big events every year: World Affairs Challenge and the Media and Arts Show. Both of these forums get kids actively engaged by having them produce something which visually or interactively presents the information they have learned. I highly recommend the media and arts show this fall. Last year it was held at Zeum and it included our work from a very impressive, very diverse set of youth-​centered groups, all hoping to get kids positively engaged with their community.
FYI if you bring your own bag to Whole Foods you can donate a five cent token to World Savvy.
If you want to learn more, come to quiz night at Café Royale on Sep 13. It is being jointly hosted by World Savvy and Habitat for Humanity, San Francisco.
Occasional volunteer,
Alex

So they have this thing called the World Affairs Challenge every year, since 2003 now I think. It is AWESOME. All these kids in middle schools and high schools all over California form teams and spend a few months preparing posters and presentations about a theme. Last year it was Conflict in the World and this year it is the Global Marketplace. They also participate in a quiz at the event and a «Collaborative Question» where kids from different schools are grouped and find a solution to a problem together and then present it.
It is one of the most amazing things I have ever participated in (as a judge) and highly recommend getting involved as a team coach, a team participant, judge, or volunteer.
They also have a Schools Program where they do something or other with curriculum, but I don’t know all the details.