Our Mission
World Savvy's mission is to educate and engage youth in community and world affairs.
Our Story
World Savvy was founded in San Francisco in response to a critical need for youth to acquire global knowledge and 21st century skills, but a conspicuous absence of global education programs in K-12 education in the Unites States.
In a world that is increasingly interconnected and interdependent, the need for informed global citizenship and leadership has never been greater. Today”s youth will face many issues that are global in scope, including conflict, public health, global economics and trade, and climate change. Resolving these challenges requires cooperation across boundaries. The current global economic crisis is a sobering reminder of how globalization has reached every corner of our lives and quality global education programs have become imperative.
This growing need for truly 'global' citizenship skills in increasingly diverse local communities has helped to inform World Savvy”s core programs. These dynamic programs and services help youth in middle and high school learn how to think rather than what to think about critical global and community issues, which are often complex and unaddressed in school, and have enormous implications for their local community. Since founding in 2002, World Savvy has been providing direct programs for youth ages 10-18 and professional development for 6th-12th grade teachers.
World Savvy has grown substantially in the last two years, with new offices in New York (2007) and Minneapolis-St. Paul (2008), serving more than 6,000 students and 750 educators nationally in the 2008-2009 academic year. This national growth demonstrates the increasing demand for global education in K-12, and World Savvy”s ability to engage teachers, school leaders, students and community members in dialogue about these critical issues. World Savvy has a base of nearly 300 dedicated volunteers for program delivery and operations, which has contributed greatly to our efforts to create systemic change in K-12 education.
Our Vision
World Savvy's vision for the future is one in which all members of society are well informed about contemporary international affairs and act as responsible global citizens. We believe that change will occur if youth are educated about international affairs and are given the tools to think critically about such issues. Additionally, we believe that we must inform and empower youth to see themselves as lifelong global citizens and recognize their related rights and responsibilities.