Thinking Beyond Borders is a 35-week program to educate youth about the economic, political, and cultural realities of our world while empowering them with the tools to create proactive social change. Through varied service learning opportunities, the itinerary immerses students in cultures and communities around the world to provide experiences with various issues of International Development. The curriculum challenges students to synthesize academic research and their collected observations into powerful conclusions about the nature of globalization, world hunger, human rights, cultural change, and political systems.
The program is designed for 16 students who have graduated high school and deferred their college enrollment. The program consists of an orientation followed by one month in each of five Core Countries. In these countries, students work with local NGOs to gain a deep understanding of the problems facing developing communities and the efforts made to address them. Simultaneously, students live with host families to build personal relationships with the local people and culture. Each Core Country is followed by an enrichment week that allows students to process their learning and engage in cultural and recreational activities. Finally, students return to the US for six weeks that include meeting representatives from the UN, World Bank, IMF, and other institutions and making presentations to educational and philanthropic organizations.
 |
||
 |
||
|
||
|
Orientation: One Week - Costa Rica: Introduction to Curriculum, Team Building, Goal Setting, Safety Training Unit 1: One Month - Ecuador: Clean Water and Development Unit 2: One Month - China: Public Education and Economic Growth Unit 3: One Month - Vietnam: Environmental Conservation Unit 4: One Month - India: Sustainable Agriculture Unit 5: One Month - South Africa: Public Health & the AIDS Epidemic Culmination: Six Weeks - USA: Processing and Presenting |
|
|
||
