Student Global Ambassador Project

SGAP LEADERS EMPOWERS UNDERSERVED TEENS TO BECOME AGENTS OF CHANGE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND BEYOND BY THINKING CRITICALLY, APPLYING STEM, AND CHAMPIONING SOCIAL JUSTICE. OUR IN-PERSON OR VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS, TOURS AND SPEAKER SERIES PROVIDE A VEHICLE FOR STUDENTS TO DEVELOP COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS SKILLS. OUR WORKSHOPS CHALLENGE STUDENTS FROM DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, REGIONS AND COUNTRIES TO THINK CRITICALLY AROUND REAL ISSUES THAT AFFECT REAL LIVES; AS A RESULT THEY DEVELOP LEADERSHIP AND TEAM BUILDING SKILLS; AND THROUGH THE PROCESS, THEY GAIN A VOICE AND FEEL EMPOWERED. UNFORTUNATELY, STUDENTS GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL TODAY LACK THE CRITICAL SKILLS TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND COMPETITIVE WITHIN THE GLOBAL WORKPLACE. SGAP LEADERS' PROGRAMMING PROVIDES A VEHICLE FOR MOTIVATED STUDENTS TO GAIN CRITICAL 21ST CENTURY SKILLS SUCH AS PRESENTATION, PROBLEM-SOLVING, CRITICAL THINKING, COLLABORATION, COMMUNICATIONS, EMPATHY-BUILDING AND CREATIVITY.

CLIMATE CLINICS & SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGE - WE REFINED OUR TEN-WEEK CLIMATE CHANGE CURRICULUM TO A SIX WEEK IN-PERSON CLIMATE CLINICS WITH THEIR LEADERSHIP TRAINING INSTITUTE COHORT, AND SIX-WEEK VIRTUAL CLIMATE CLINICS WITH THE SAPPLINGS AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM. THE AGE RANGE OF THE COHORTS WERE FROM 13-18. THE CLINICS CULMINATED WITH A MODIFIED SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGE WORKSHOP FOCUSED ON THE ELECTRIFICATION OF THE SCHOOL BUS SYSTEM CASE STUDY AND SIMULATION. THE PURPOSE OF THE CLIMATE CLINICS WAS TO DEMONSTRATE SGAP'S ABILITIES TO IMPLEMENT A LONGITUDINAL IN-SCHOOL PROGRAM AND TO ASSESS THE THE CLINICS' EFFECTIVENESS IN ENGAGING UNDERSERVED STUDENTS, AND ADVANCING THEIR KNOWLEDGE IN CLIMATE-RELATED ISSUES, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND ACTIVISM.

ESTIMATED VALUE OF TIME DONATED BY PROFESSIONALS IN 2023 IS $100,470. VARIOUS PROFESSIONAL VOLUNTEER TIME TO THE STUDENT GLOBAL AMBASSADOR PROGRAM. ACCORDING TO THE TAPROOT FOUNDATION, THE ESTIMATED VALUE OF VOLUNTEER TIME IS $33.49 PER HOUR, AS INDEXED BY THE INDEPENDENT SECTOR. THEIR TIME AND EXPERTISE IS CRUCIAL TO THE OPERATIONS AND SUCCESS OF THE STUDENT GLOBAL AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.

OUR SGAP LEADERS AND INTERNS (NOW CALLED FELLOWS) BEGAN TO DEVELOP THREE IN-PERSON COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS. OUR FELLOWS LEAD THEIR OWN PROJECT TEAMS. ALL INTERNS TEAM WITH OUR PARTNERS TO DESIGN A PROJECT THAT ADDRESSES A REAL-WORLD ISSUE. OUR TEENS INITIATE AND EXECUTE SERVICE PROJECTS TO DEVELOP THEIR LEADERSHIP SKILLS. MAY DAY BOUQUETS FOR NURSING HOME RESIDENTS: 17 TEENS CRAFTED AND DISTRIBUTED 200 BOUQUETS FOR 2 NURSING HOMES. A TOTAL OF 85 SSL HOURS WERE EARNED.

SGAP LEADERS COACHED STUDENTS FROM THE LEADERSHIP TRAINING INSTITUTE AT KENNEDY HIGH SCHOOL TO PRESENT AT THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS' CLIMATE SUMMIT. STUDENTS CREATED A CLUE-LIKE GAME ENTITLED WHO KILLED THE PLANET? TO EXPOSE TWEEN AND TEENS ABOUT THE CLIMATE CRISIS AS WELL AS PROVIDE METHODS THAT THE STUDENTS CAN USE TO MITIGATE OR ADAPT TO ADDRESS THE CRISIS. SGAP LEADERS TEENS ALSO TESTIFIED AT THE STATE HOUSE FOR THE HB511 YEAR IN SERVICE LEGISLATION, WHICH LATER WAS VOTED INTO LAW FOR THE STATE OF MARYLAND. TEENS LEARNED ABOUT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND THE POWER OF THEIR VOICE. LASTLY, SGAP LEADERS' TEENS VIRTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN THE GLOBAL SOLUTIONS LAB WITH OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATION HOUSED AT DREXEL UNIVERSITY, AND LEARNED ABOUT THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS OF THE UNITED NATIONS. FINALLY, THE SGAP LEADERS' TEENS PARTICIPATED IN THE FORESIGHT BANK ONE-WEEK SOCIAL IMPACT BUSINESS PITCH CAMP. SGAP LEADERS SPONSORED ONE STUDENT FROM JAPAN.