I used this resource as an example of peace education for our most recent paper we had assigned and became extremely interested in the program ever since.

The Embassy Adoption Program works with public schools in the Washington DC to bring global education to DC public schools through DC’s international community. Since 1974, the Embassy Adoption Program works with 5th and 6th graders to engage with the concept of global education in various classrooms. The concept of the program is that a certain class is “adopted” by an embassy, establishing a connection within the local and international community. Students will then spend an entire year engaged in programs that enhance in cultural competency, increase cultural communication skills, and help children understand local and global communication. 

“Program highlights include classroom sessions, hosted by embassy representatives, field trips to gain hands-on experience with their adopted culture, a final presentation demonstrating acquired knowledge for the ambassador and embassy representatives, and mini United Nations event held between all DC public schools Embassy Adoption classrooms.” 

This program is delivered towards the educational community within DC’s public schools. The Embassy Adoption Program demonstrates innovative practices in the field of global education and offers students a variety of challenging activities. Students are partnered up with community members that strive for a better and more globalized education. The classes that are chosen within the DC area expand in pedagogical boundaries by moving students outside of the classroom. The students are able to travel to cultural centers, museums, and also restaurants to gain experience with their “adopted” culture. This is a wonderful way to be globally inclined by allowing the youth to be engaged with others around the world and within the community. 

I would think an educator would be extremely interested in this program, since it offers several different attributes toward global education. An educator would incorporate the concept of community building and the remaining pillars of peace education. Since the program already sets the attitude of being culturally inclined and allows students to engage with others in various environments aside from the classroom, the students should then gain a better understanding in peace education itself. In order to strengthen this resource, I strongly believe that the program be expanded outside the DC area. Several cities, aside from DC should be involved with the The Embassy Adoption Program because it offers students the wonderful opportunity to grasp various cultures and innovative surroundings. 

Goals

• Enhance students’ cultural competency
• Increase cross-cultural communication skills
• Aid students’ understanding of their local and global communities
• Offer students a variety of challenging themes and programs
• Partner with community members who demand better schools

The Embassy Adoption Program moves away from the mainstream or tradition approaches by allowing the students within the DC area to engage in cultural experiences with people abroad. The program places students in different communities and allows them to gain a life changing experience. It’s as if the students are having the great opportunity of studying abroad and understand cultural and global topics at such a young age. This displays the understanding that our time and generations have changed; we must transition to a more globally enhanced society.  

 

The Embassy Adoption Program is a compelling opportunity that could only exist in the District of Columbia, and at DC Public Schools. It is an opportunity to expand students’ global understanding, increase interactive programming options, and continue on that road to becoming the highest performing urban district in the nation.

Two stakeholders that may be able to benefit from this post would be the DC school systems and specific students with the strive and motivation to be involved in the Embassy Adoption Program. This way, students in different regions throughout the US can partake in this this extraordinary program. My post will be able to reach out to the DC public system to attempt in changing the policy and allowing more regions to be involved in the program. 

Resource: 

http://dc.gov/DCPS/Beyond+the+Classroom/Embassy+Adoption+Program 

Project Hope: 

http://projecthope.ps/about/

As I was researching for a resource to post on the blog regarding peace education, I came across an organization called Project Hope. Project Hope is a non-profit organization and was started by an international volunteer during the time of invasions and refugee camps in Palestine. During this time, the internationals believed they could commit and engage with women and children. 

Project Hope helps to establish safe areas for children to be able to learn, grow, and thrive. One of the most important values this particular organization conveys is Children Rights.  Children have the utmost right to education, health and security. Through the programs that are established from Project Hope, children will be able to work together in a safe environment. 

One of the values from the organization that I mostly admired was gender equality. 

“We strive to ensure that girls and young women have equal access to the activities we provide. The majority of our students are female, participating in a wide range of activities, from English and computer classes to gymnastics and photography. And with women leading our English and French Departments, female members of staff have a prominent voice in the needs assessment, design, and implementation of our programs as well.” 

Men have the upper hand in various countries within the Middle East. Children may be prone to assumption that women are unable to work outside of home and establish their career lives. Thus, having the opportunity for girls and boys learning and working together is development toward a better future. Also, having primary female staff members as teachers and instructors is another way of conveying the message of EQUALITY.

The education setting for this particular non-profit organization is youth-community based civilians within the country of Palestine. The organization predominantly works with children between the ages 5-17, enhancing their knowledge of technology, learning the English language, sports, graphic design, film + group-based activities. The organization is also extremely passionate about their international staff members. Working with people from different backgrounds can give an open mind to the Palestinian children. Also, the international staff members  that are derived from various parts of the globe can learn from the children and their way of life. 

Ways to use this resource: 

– Way to strengthen this NGO is to not only work on children in Palestine, but also branch out to neighboring countries and/or countries in the Middle East. An educator might want to incorporate this organization, globally. This way, the organization will be more popular and well-known. 

-Another way to enhance or strengthen this particular resource is to establish a  camp that brings kids from various countries within the middle east to work and learn together. Project Hope should maintain the same concept for the kids to enhance their education by various subjects and engagement, but also to have children come together to unite from different countries, cultures, and origins. Discrimination is a main issue: denominations from Islam & Christianity, culture and etc. Kids should be able to look beyond the conflict that was brought up generations before, but promote peace! 

Children will be able to engage with others with a better knowledge and an open mind. It is important for people to understand each other. While this is focusing on literal education, the organization also incorporates peace and equality. 

The audience that I would be focusing on would be the educational systems in Palestine and the various countries that are linked together and the staff members of Project Hope. I’d like to reach out to the educational system in Palestine to allow students to engage in activities with children from different ethnic backgrounds. I want to make it apparent that the purpose for this  organization is  peace. This may take some time to proceed because several school systems in the Middle East refuse and restrict the idea of students being informed about different countries and their customs/cultures. I would also like to reach out to the staff members of this NGO because I’d want this organization to be globally inclined with other countries, not only Palestine. This will benefit the organization as a whole by giving aid to even more people around the world and making a proper name out of this organization.