Inspiring Youth in Maryland - Fall 2019

Inspiring Youth in Maryland - Fall 2019

WE SCHOOLS IMPACT REPORT Inspiring Youth in Maryland

Fall, 2019

Dear Friends,

WE exists to make doing good, doable and we’re grateful for your decision to be a part of the WE movement.

From our humble beginnings as a group of twelve 12-year-olds wanting nothing more than to make a difference in the world, we’re truly grateful for and inspired by each of our supporters who share that passion. Today, we proudly support millions of people, including youth, families, individuals, corporations and other groups on their unique journeys tomake a lasting impact through service - we’re thrilled to work with you on yours. Your generous support towards our WE Schools programming in Maryland has empowered positive change that will continue to transform lives for years to come. For that, we can’t thank you enough, and we hope you’ll enjoy reading about the impact your contribution is making.

Together we can do more than we could ever do alone. With your help, we are changing the world.

Thank you,

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Thank You

Augusta Fells Savage Institute of Visual Arts

Through your generous support, we are empowering young people in Maryland with the tools and resources to take action and make the world a brighter place.

We are pleased to share with you the incredible impact of ourWE Schools programming inMaryland over the 2018-2019 school year, delivering world-class resources for students and educators and creating transformational experiences for youth. Without your support, none of this would be possible. Thank you.

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WE Schools

WE Schools is a year-long educational program that empowers young people to be leaders of social change, challenging them to act with intention and compassion and lead with the conviction that together we can transform communities locally and globally.

WE Schools is implemented in classrooms and after-school clubs. It is a movement of youth and educators who believe that some of the most powerful learning experiences happen when you make a meaningful difference in your communities and for the world.

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In the United States

Thanks to your support, we have scaled the reach of WE Schools across the United States to support diverse youth populations in becoming leaders, change-makers and problem solvers. In the 2018-2019 school year, over 2 million students from more than 6,900 school groups participated in or were impacted by WE Schools—a 18% increase in the number of schools engaged since 2017-2018, and a 65% increase since 2016-2017. In the United States during the 2018-2019 academic year,WESchools created a total social impact value of over $177 million in support of local and global issues. These impacts were created from fundraising initiatives, youth volunteerism and local food collection. As part of our cause-inclusive programs, WE Schools groups supported over 480 local organizations and 2,100 global organizations, totaling over 2,580 unique organizations.

Our WE Schools team has been able to improve engagement with schools and has developed a host of new opportunities, creating positive outcomes for American youth around academic engagement, workplace and college readiness and active citizenship. Of the participating WE Schools educators in the 2018-2019 school year: 85% agreed that their students demonstrate increased leadership among their peers. 84% agreed that their students are more capable of effectively voicing their own opinions. 84% agreed that their students feel a greater connection to their local community. 84% agreed that their students have developed stronger communication skills. 82% agreed that their students are more able to work effectively and respectfully in diverse teams.

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WE Schools

The Monarch School

In the 2018-2019 school year, WE Schools groups in Maryland created a total social impact value of over $2.3 million in support of local and global issues.

This impact was generated from three major streams: fundraising initiatives, value of youth volunteerism and value of local food collection.

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In Maryland

In Maryland during the 2018-2019 school year, there were 237 WE Schools groups , involving more than 43,000 youth and over 700 educators . The most frequent local issue tackled by WE Schools groups in Maryland was the environment and the most frequent global cause supported was ensuring access to nutritious food . To take action on these issues, the most common initiatives led by students were food drives, coin drives, class presentations to educate and inform their peers and volunteering within their communities.

As part of our cause-inclusive programs, youth supported both local and global organizations through their actions. 80% of WE School groups volunteered , while 35% undertook fundraising initiatives . More than 90,000 volunteer hours were registered.

As part of the WE Schools curriculum, we provide a comprehensive WE Schools Kit with educational resources

“I think makingmy students aware of the challenges children face in other parts of our city, country and world isahugestep inopening theeyesof our society. I see the world and my community differently when I look at it through the eyes of those kids.” - Educator, Baltimore, Maryland designed to help educators enhance their curriculum and to broaden students’ knowledge and understanding of local and global issues. These resources include lesson plans, current events articles and blogs, social justice videos and ready-made service-learning and fundraising campaigns to provide tangible tactics for youth to engage on their chosen issues and create action plans for impact. Additionally, program participants have the opportunity to participate in action planning sessions with WE motivational speakers to inspire, explore issues, develop their talents and identify ways to engage their community. For educators, professional learning sessions provide resources, tools, coaching and opportunities for collaboration, to share best practices for engaging youth in service-learning.

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Stories of Inspiration

Students at Mount Royal Elementary and Middle School are dedicated to improving their local community and promoting a clean environment for the Chespeake Bay area. Recently, sixth grade students have been learning about environmental conservation, engaging in hands-on lessons such as testing water quality and surveying wildlife to better understand the current environmental conditions of the bay. To promote preserving the environment of the bay, students engaged in a week-long immersive campaign, which involved creating and installing messages that raise awareness about environmentally friendly habits such as no littering, water conservation and promoting community gardening. Through these activities, students hope to create a clean and welcoming space for everyone in the community to enjoy. Mount Royal Elementary and Middle School

Students at Guilford Elementary School in Baltimore have been busy engaging in the WE Schools program. As part of their service- learning curriculum, the students held a food drive collecting over 960 pounds of food for the local Howard County Food Bank. Debbie Robbins, an educator at Guilford Elementary, was proud of the dedication her students put into raising awareness and collecting food. Thanks to their commitment, the food drive was a huge success. As Debbie explains, “I made two trips to the Howard County food bank with my car loaded down with food.” By giving back to their community, students not only learn about important topics like hunger affecting their community but learn how they can be part of the solution and make a lasting impact. Guilford Elementary School

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WE Day Community: Baltimore

WE Day is a powerful, life-changing experience with world-renowned speakers and performers, mixed with real, inspirational stories of change.

S tudents can’t buy a ticket to WE Day; they earn their way by taking local and global actions through the WE Schools program. In 2019, WE Day Community: Baltimore brought together 2,000 youth from schools and youth programs across Maryland, to celebrate and honor their commitment to service and creating positive change throughout the year, and to empower these young change-makers to make the world a brighter place. The full-day event featured renowned speakers, innovative thought leaders and remarkable youth who are making a positive impact. Some of this years inspiring guests included Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, JAGMAC, Kechi Okwuchi, Johnny Orlando and Brittany Young.

“The young people at WE Day give me hope that a better world and a more united America is possible” - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, WE Day Community: Baltimore

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Together We Can Change the World

Thank you for your support of WE Schools in Maryland! Together, we are inspiring local youth to take action on issues they are passionate about andempowering themtomake a difference inour communities.

WE Global Learning Centre 339 Queen Street East Toronto, ON M5A 1S9