World Savvy student Caitlyn Keo, talks to ChangeX about her experience of learning Global Competence

During my senior year of high school, my teachers always started the morning with announcements. Generally, they were related to school clubs and opportunities, but on one particular morning, Mr Johnson gave a 30-second brief of an opportunity to spend a month abroad, in Bangladesh, studying climate change with a local organization. While I had no idea where Bangladesh was at the time, I approached him that day to get more details about this organization. I was hooked on the idea of World Savvy and having an immersive experience abroad, thinking about global issues and global change. Over the course of the next week, I worked on my application and essays in the hope that I would be accepted into the American Youth Leadership Program.

Climate Change and World Savvy

Having been accepted onto the programme, in which we spent a month abroad studying climate change, I got to engage with World Savvy. Upon returning home, we worked to implement a Knowledge to Action (K2A) project in our home communities. I worked closely with a peer on gaining awareness for climate refugees in our school and through another local organization, Youth Environmental Activists of Minnesota.

I would hope that every student would have at least one experience where they have to think critically and compassionately about an issue that most interests them, and then to think creatively about solutions.

I loved that we got to learn about global issues in a hands-on manner. I enjoyed participating in discussions with peers and with local organizations. As my experience was abroad, we got to see many things first hand and engage in numerous activities, workshops, and service-learning trips. I gained a lot of perspective during these opportunities.

World Savvy – the Global Experience

I really enjoy the Knowledge to Action (K2A) component of the World Savvy experience. I would hope that every student would have at least one experience where they have to think critically and compassionately about an issue that most interests them, and then to think creatively about solutions. The process is so embedded with good research, thoughtful questions, and deep conversations.

World Savvy empowered me to see myself as an active global citizen. I was encouraged to be part of the conversation on global and local issues. I was exposed to great changemakers, such as Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, and to people from local and global organizations working towards change.

I was inspired, not only by these new role models, but also by my peers – the sixty other students, Americans and Bangladeshi – who shared similar and diverse interests. These experiences and people definitely have shaped my outlook, my attitude, and especially my goals.

Getting Creative about Global Solutions

I would absolutely recommend World Savvy to others. A unique part of World Savvy is that it gives students a safe and encouraging environment to think creatively about global solutions. This is an organization that I will continue to support and love.

If you’re an educator or a student who would like to sign up to World Savvy, pay us a visit.