Apply Now to Participate in the 2008-09 NAIS Challenge 20/20 global education program!

We invite your school to participate in the NAIS Challenge 20/20 program during the 2008-09 school year! 

The NAIS Challenge 20/20 program is an exciting hands-on learning opportunity that pairs up one school in the U.S. with one school in another country. Together, they work throughout the 2008-09 school year to offer local solutions to one of 20 global problems described by Jean Francois Rischard in his pivotal book High Noon: Twenty Global Problems, Twenty Years to Solve Them.

Challenge 20/20 provides an opportunity for schools -- public and private, elementary and secondary -- to develop globally based, experiential curricula and to build educational partnerships with schools around the world.  It is an Internet-based program!

In 2005 (the first year of the program), more than 100 schools from 26 U.S. states and 32 countries participated in Challenge 20/20! You can read a few of their reflections on the experience below. All of the schools' project summaries are posted at http://www.nais.org/go/challenge2020 .  The program grew to over 400 schools from 36 U.S. states and 54 countries by 2007 and we are hoping to have more schools participate this year.

We invite schools to apply online by August 15, 2008 at: http://www.nais.org/go/challenge2020.  Schools can also fill out the application form in the attached brochure and fax it or email back to us. Schools can submit multiple applications for each interested class or club.

Below, please find some testimonials and reflections from past Challenge 20/20 participants:

Our young students have gained this [confidence and competence] and so much more through their school experiences, as scholars, friends, and citizens of the world. I am thrilled at the steps they have taken in this exciting journey of learning and sharing with fellow "classmates" half the world away! 

John M. Thomas, Headmaster

Flint Hill School (Virginia, United States)

Challenge 20/20 has given me an opportunity to develop a curriculum for my 8^th grade World Cultures class that exposes students to our global society and provides them with an understanding of the diversity in our contemporary world.

Yolanda Gonzalez, Teacher
Moses Brown School (Rhode Island, United States)

I have gained a lot of knowledge from the Challenge 20/20 project; it has taught me many life skills that I will use frequently. It has been a fascinating experience.

Tracey Booth, Student
Kingsmead College Rosebank (Johannesburg, South Africa)

Challenge 20/20 has instigated philanthropy, mentoring, global environmental awareness, and a familiarity with sustainability not evident prior to the project.

Glyn Cowlishaw, Headmaster

Pinewood Preparatory School (South Carolina, United States)

If you have any questions about the program, please do not hesitate to contact Ioana Suciu, Associate Director of Global Initiatives at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or (202) 973-9755.