We are pleased to share iEARN-USA's Impact Update for Spring 2019, which shares highlights from our recent activities, programming and partnerships. Read on or view the printable PDF version of the Impact Update. 

Welcoming New Leadership

This March, Stefanie Ortiz-Cidlik joined the iEARN USA team as Executive Director. Stefanie’s more than 20 years of experience in non-profit leadership and management for world-renowned youth organizations, most recently as the Chief Executive of USA Girl Scouts Overseas, make her the ideal candidate to lead iEARN-USA into the future.

Connecting Educators and Youth

iEARN Mini Documentary & Virtual Premiere Party
iEARN-USA hosted a virtual premier party to launch a new iEARN mini-documentary on February 27, 2019, that was attended by iEARN community members from around the world. The mini-documentary celebrates iEARN’s 30 years of history and community, and features interviews with iEARN leaders from around the world. View the video now at bit.ly/iearnminidoc.

Virtual Global Educator Hangout
Educators from ten countries joined together to attend the iEARN Virtual Global Educator Hangout on March 9, 2019. This year iEARN-USA is expanding its offering of virtual events to provide diverse opportunities for globally-minded K-12 educators to meet and connect. During the educator hangouts, educators connect with one another, engage in discussions, and share project ideas and experiences.

Educators Making a Difference in Their Communities

Bill Meyers, Doral Academy, Westminster, CO
As a Social Studies teacher for 6th to 8th graders, Bill has been utilizing iEARN Projects for more than ten years in his classroom, starting with the Malaria Eradication project, which he partnered on with an iEARN teacher in Botswana. Bill says iEARN projects “make the learning real”  that sharing their work and connecting with their global peers is very powerful and motivating for his students. Many of his former students go on to have a real understanding and caring of global issues. As an educator, he says that “this work with students and these connections with teachers, that’s what’s been most meaningful for me.” Read the full interview with Bill. 

Midwest Regional Global Teaching Dialogue
iEARN-USA Global Education Ambassador (GEA), Katherine Korte was awarded a US Department of State grant to host the 2019 Midwest Regional Global Teaching Dialogue on January 5, 2019 in St. Louis, Missouri. The event brought together educators for a day of discussion and learning sessions around the importance of global competence for 21st century learners and to explore effective practices in global education. GEA member Rebecca Hodges hosted a session on iEARN, “Learn with the World: Connecting Students in Global Virtual Projects.” 

Partnerships for Global Education - Youth Programming

NSLI-Y Character Development & Self-Growth

On February 20, 2019, iEARN-USA hosted a webinar on “Character Development and Self-Growth” that featured four current students on the NSLI-Y (National Security Language Initiative for Youth) Russian academic year program in Moldova. The NSLI-Y students talked about managing time, the benefits of independence, challenging oneself academically and personally, and finding direction for the future. The full webinar can be viewed on the NSLI-Y Interactive Website: www.nsliy-interactive.org.

YES Gender Parity Specialists Workshop 

iEARN-USA recently partnered with AMIDEAST, for a YES (Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study program) Gender Parity Specialists (YESGPS) Workshop in Beirut, Lebanon. Sixteen YES alumni were selected to attend the workshop, including iEARN YES alumna from Bangladesh, Tahseen Lubaba, who has worked with self-defense training and leadership building for female students. YESGPS participants left Beirut with a deeper understanding of gender parity, a new network of YES alumni and gender professionals, and more project management tools to implement their gender projects. Learn more on the YES Program website: www.yesprograms.org.

Support iEARN-USA

Make a difference for youth in the U.S. and globally! Your donation supports engaging learning opportunities for K-12 students to connect and learn with their peers around the world, and develop the skills to become successful global citizens. Make a gift today a: us.iearn.org/donate.