When middle school students in Asheville, North Carolina, raised funds to support girls’ rights in China, improve water access in Cambodia, and help earthquake victims in Japan, their lives changed as well. They gained a greater understanding of their role in the world at the hands of their globally savvy and inspiring teacher, Kathy Millar.
Millar, an alumna of the TEA/ILEP US Teacher Exchange—recently renamed Teachers for Global Classrooms [12]—used a small alumni grant to guide her students at Evergreen Community Charter School [13] through an international service learning event. By designing, planning, and implementing a fundraiser in their community, students channeled their enthusiasm into a global mission: They raised over $3,000 in a three-mile run supported by their friends, families, and the community at large.
“I never really saw myself as a global citizen, but now I feel I have made a difference in three very worthy causes that I have much passion for,” said one student. “This campaign has given me confidence in the fact that I really can make a difference in the world.”
Students researched global struggles, chose causes in which they believed, and wrote persuasive essays to urge students in the class to support their cause. They then voted on their top three: girls’ rights in China, water access in Cambodia, and education in Africa. But when disaster struck in Japan, students reopened the dialogue and decided to respond to the immediate crisis, making that their third cause.
Before the main event, called Three Miles for Three Causes, students waged a marketing campaign, met with local businesses, gave presentations in their school, and fundraised in their community. Some students trained and then ran amidst a crowd of community members.
“Actually participating in helping others around the world was a completely different experience than just hearing about it on the news or just learning about it in school,” said one student. “Being able to help raise funds and make posters and business calls gave me a sense of pride. Knowing I was able to make a difference really pushed me to want to become more in depth of a global citizen.”
“These actions will ripple and spread in ways I cannot even imagine,” Millar said. “These students are empowered, and they are ready to face the world honestly and with a critical and hopeful eye.” Millar hopes to reach even more students by presenting her curriculum at the National Middle School Association conference in November. Millar’s innovative curriculum includes lessons on development, giving, and topical areas and guides students through designing and implementing their own social campaign.
Traveling to Bangladesh through the TEA/ILEP US Teacher Exchange—renamed Teachers for Global Classrooms [12]—spurred Millar to internationalize her curriculum: “Being a part of an international program opened my eyes to how important it is to teach our students about how small our big world is,” Millar said. “With a global focus, I am able to introduce my students to the harsh reality of issues around the world, but also bring the humanity of all people to them as well.”
“I am not a great teacher because of what I do,” Millar said. “I am a great teacher because I stand back and let my students own their work. When the work has a real cause and real outcomes, students will rise to every challenge.”
Teachers for Global Classrooms [12] is funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs [14] of the U.S. Department of State and implemented by IREX.