One World Hub at Georgetown University

Georgetown University Orientation

In Fall 2009, we took our program to the next level by expanding to universities. Our first One World Hub piloted at Georgetown University, Washington D.C. At Georgetown we trained a team of undergraduates to be hands-on cross-cultural facilitators in DC public schools. These university students called Project Ambassadors facilitated meaningful communication between the Columbia Heights Education Campus in North-West and Hart Middle School South-East with their partner-schools- The Village School in Guatemala and YII Morina Middle School in Kosovo respectively, while also guiding youth through the OWYP curriculum and a service-learning project in their local community.

“At the end of the semester, we worked with our 7th graders at Hart Middle School to think about ways in which they could work toward achieving gender equality in their school. We came up with the idea of a campaign against abuse, and the students decided that they would make posters about red flags in relationships to put up around the school. They also gave out bracelets to their peers as part of this awareness campaign. The best part of the semester for me was when we were able to talk through issues such as abuse in relationships with our students, see their thoughts on the matter and find a service project that will hopefully stay with them long after this semester.” Said Kimberly Fernandez a Georgetown Student, while reflecting on her role as a Project Ambassador.

In 2010/2011 academic year, OWYP will launch on over 5 university campuses in 3 countries.  By 2015, our goal is to engage over 30 universities on every continent and over 200 middle/high schools classrooms. ”My hope for OWYP’s future is that we can continue to build a program which is accessible, relevant, impacting & useful to any young person anywhere in the world, regardless of her/his ability to access high-speed Internet access or speak English. My dream is that we can strengthen local communities through the process of connecting people globally.  Local solutions to local problems initiated by local people, but communicated globally –that is what One World Youth Project is all about.” Said the founder, Jessica Rimington.

Celebrating some of our accomplishments:

• OWYP launched its first pilot University- One World Hub at Georgetown University
• *OWYP has served 67 schools from 24 countries
• 3,238 curriculum responses have been exchanged online between OWYP youth participants
• 16 (30-minute) documentaries have been filmed and exchanged between partner-schools
• 2 student exchanges have been organized ( USA students to Mexico ; Moroccan student to USA )
• 40 Millennium Development Goal community service projects have been designed and implemented by youth participants
• 2 One World North American Youth Summits were held at Georgetown University bringing together 50 youth from Canada , Mexico , & the USA
• *1 One World Africa Youth Summit was held at the University of Ghana bringing together over 50 youth from Liberia, Ghana , Morocco , Tanzania , Nigeria , and Ethiopia .
• OWYP hosted 3 Congressional Receptions on the MDGs
• OWYP held 4 OWYP international staff retreats
• Since 2005, OWYP youth participants celebrate an annual Millennium Development Goal Awareness Day in collaboration with Global & National Youth Service Day.
• In 2006, OWYP authored the only comprehensive, global middle/high school curriculum on the Millennium Development Goals.
• In 2006, OWYP co-authored with Youth Service America “A Guide to MDG Action.”
• During the 2007/2008 program year, OWYP partnered with the United Nations Development Program’s Millennium Campaign for a video exchange pilot involving 6 OWYP schools in Peru, USA, Tanzania, and Ethiopia .
• And more!