The World Affairs Council of Jacksonville, through its members’ dues and sponsors’ contributions, makes a significant investment in several student education initiatives.  Each of those initiatives is designed to contribute to global awareness, an appreciation of diversity and to prepare the youth of our community for future leadership roles.

About World in Transition

One of the Council’s education programs is World in Transition.  World in Transition (WIT) is a major initiative to improve international education in schools nationwide.  It includes teacher workshops and curriculum support materials that cover eight regions of the world.  Each unit includes:

• A documentary video

• Lesson plans (exercises, tests, visuals, etc.)

• Background readings (for teachers and/or students)

• Web resources (www.southerncenter.org)

Each of the units is correlated to social studies standards nationally, in Florida , as well as other states. 

Every unit covers: Geography, History, Politics, Economics, Foreign Policy, Health and Environment, Culture, Society and Religion of a given world region.

The program is developed and maintained by the Southern Center for International Studies in Atlanta which has trained more than 40,000 high school and middle school teachers across the county.  The Southern Center is one of 88 World Affairs Councils of America.

Reaching Teachers in Northeast Florida

The delivery model of WIT provides professional development for teachers which maximizes impact.  When you teach one student, one student is reached.  When you train one teacher, hundreds of students are reached.  As a result the leverage of focusing on teachers is significant.  The WIT program also minimizes cost.  WIT materials are for the teacher—one set per teacher which may be used over several years (along with website-based enhancements).

Currently, the Council offers professional development programs for Social Studies teachers in Duval County and is exploring similar offerings in St. Johns County .  The response from teachers has been extremely positive with their indicating that the materials provide current and relevant coverage of critical topics that enhance their regular classroom curriculum.  Here are a few comments from teachers:

“The materials are awesome.”

“The tools and examples are invaluable.”

“It gives me more current information and great ideas.”

“The materials are some of the best I have ever seen.”

“The program offers some excellent reading strategies.”

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

There are several opportunities for sponsorship:

• Underwrite the cost of materials for teachers in one professional development workshop.  Typically, 20 teachers participate in a one-day workshop and work with 2 units at a total materials cost of $3,000 

• Underwrite the total cost (materials, workshop leaders and related expenses) of one workshop for teachers $5,000

• Or contribute to supporting the program overall.

If interested, sponsors are invited to attend one of the teacher workshops.

Sponsors will be recognized on the Council’s website, in the newsletter, press releases regarding the program, and acknowledged at the annual WorldQuest competition which is a fund-raiser for our education endeavors.