Stories, books, and literature can provide students a meaningful way into another culture or way of life, and help them understand perspectives and cultural contexts vastly different from their own. Writers, both established and emerging, can help both provide additional access points for students into the texts as well as connect students with writing and reading for global understanding.
The Global Writers Initiative at GEBG has significantly influenced educator exposure to writers with global perspectives, experiences, or identities. This has led to an increase in the number of global books taught and the number of schools inviting these authors as visitors to campus. This initiative supports the writers, the educators, and the students.
Student Publishing Opportunity: Bilingual Children’s Books
GEBG has partnered with Creo en Ti Media, a publishing company created and run by educators as a “student-centered, bilingual literacy project designed to promote early childhood literacy.” With the goal of increasing the number of bilingual children’s books while supporting high school language students, Creo en Ti publishes bilingual children’s books written by high school students and makes them available to young language learners and educators.
Through this partnership, Creo en Ti will professionally publish several bilingual books–in English and another global language–written and illustrated by students at GEBG Member Schools. Thus far, books have been published in English and Spanish, French, or Mandarin Chinese. For the 2024-25 School Year, submissions in English plus any of the following languages* are welcomed:
>> Spanish
>> French
>> Mandarin Chinese
>> German
>> Italian
>> Russian
>> Arabic
*Limited support for other languages–contact Creo en Ti to inquire.
This is a great global education opportunity for global language teachers, as well as art teachers, and their students. Schools may submit up to three draft manuscripts with sample illustrations, and students selected by the publishers will begin a process of professional editing and mentorship that culminates in publication of their work, for which they earn future royalties and retain intellectual property.
Global Directors–or the designated GEBG Point of Contact at the school–will be responsible for selecting the student works to be submitted for consideration. Schools may submit up to three drafts per language for consideration. Authors might be second-language students and/or heritage speakers with a proficiency comparable to a level-three student or higher. We ask that students be in Grades 9-11 such that they can complete the yearlong process.
It is recommended–but not required–that submissions include partial illustrations or a sample of work from a potential illustrator. The illustrator could be the author or a partner at any Grade 9-11. Please note that drafts are not necessarily accepted in full, and editing may require significant revisions as well as new collaborations.
Proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis between September and April. Selected students participate as a cohort in the editing and publishing process, resulting in publishing as soon as the following Spring.
Application opens in September 2024; Rolling selections will be made through April 2025.
Nominate an educator or student for one of GEBG’s annual Salomon Prize awards recognizing global citizenship, curriculum design or contribution to the field of global learning!
GEBG celebrates students and faculty for their learning and growth in the field of global education through the annual Salomon Prizes named in honor of Dr. Manjula Salomon and Stuart Salomon. The Salomons are two of the most significant contributors to the GEBG community over the past ten plus years. Manjula was involved in the incorporation of GEBG as non-profit and served for three terms as founding board member, and served as an assistant head of school at multiple GEBG member schools leading their school-wide efforts in global education. Stuart drew on his background as a member of multiple English faculties around the world to help GEBG establish the Global Writers Initiative which has allowed us to organize summits, facilitate professional learning communities, create bilingual student publishing opportunities, and host writers as speakers – connecting writers with global identities, perspectives, and expertise to educators and students at GEBG member schools and districts. Manjula and Stuart spent their long careers working with students and teachers from Tehran to Jakarta to GEBG member schools Deerfield (MA), Hotchkiss (CT), and Palmer Trinity (FL). The GEBG annual prizes are named the Salomon Prizes in recognition of their dedication and essential support of the GEBG mission.
Honorees are students from member schools who effectively use writing or other media to illustrate/reflect their intercultural and global growth through classroom study, travel programs, or other school experiences; Faculty curriculum honorees have designed purposeful, exemplary curricula that target global competencies and facilitate student development as globally minded citizens; and the Global Educator of the Year honoree demonstrates both innovation in global education at their school as well as contribution to the field of global education at large.
The 2024-25 Salomon Prizes include 2 student prizes in the amount of $350 and 3 faculty prizes in the amount of $500. For students, prizes will be awarded to two individuals–one at the Middle School Level and one at the High School Level–for written work that reflects their pursuit of global citizenship. For faculty, prizes will be given to two teachers for outstanding global curriculum development and to one educator for innovation and contributions to the field of global education. A committee consisting of community volunteers, GEBG Board Members, and staff select Salomon Prize recipients and Honorable Mentions. Submissions are due Monday, February 10, 2025.
Salomon Prize for
Student Expression and Thought on Global Issues
Middle School Level (grades 5-8)
High School Level (grades 9-12)
Entries are original student work that uses writing or other media to illustrate/reflect their intercultural growth or engagement with global issues through classroom study, travel programs, or other school experiences
Salomon Prize for
Faculty Curriculum Design
Primary Level (grades 1-4)
Middle and High School (grades 5-12)
A global classroom activity, lesson, assignment or unit of study: this can be a single lesson, a week-long activity, or an interdisciplinary initiative that targets global content and/or competencies.
Salomon Prize for
GEBG Global Educator of the Year
Global Educator of the Year honoree demonstrates both innovation in global education at their school as well as contribution to the field of global education at large.
Individuals can nominate a global educator for this honor by submitting a name, title, and member school along with a brief rationale for the nomination. Self nominations are permitted.
Salomon Prize Guidelines
Middle and High School student entries must be independently developed with minimum guidance from others. We kindly ask that the student’s Salomon Prize entry is entirely their/her/his work. The word limit is a maximum of 750 words. Each school is allowed 2 entries per division.
Faculty curriculum entries should include the following components:
+ Identification of the learning goals and objectives (“Transfer Goals”)
+ Articulation of the activities that comprise this course/unit/lesson
+ Documentation of demonstration of learning—three examples demonstrating the range of the class
+ Key resources, handouts, planning documents, etc.
The judging will be done by a panel of global educators not connected with member schools submitting entries. Final selections are announced in the spring. School global coordinators will receive email notification and should then communicate the information with the student or faculty member.
Salomon Prize Entries must be submitted by a school’s global education coordinator on behalf of the student or educator. The global education coordinator is expected to review each faculty and student entry for quality, originality, and connections with global themes. Submissions include an entry form and submission of work.
Submissions were due Monday, February 10, 2025
John Bing Scholarship for Faculty Professional Learning Abroad
We are thrilled to announce the John Bing Scholarship for Faculty Professional Learning Abroad, a faculty scholarship for our summer professional learning program abroad. This scholarship is named for Dr. John Bing, a researcher and leading consultant in the field of intercultural relations with decades of leadership in the field from years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Afghanistan to a scholar at the University of Massachusetts Center for International Education. The scholarship was donated by Stuart and Manjula Salomon in honor of Dr. Bing and his commitment to engagement and growth through immersive intercultural learning experiences. The John Bing Scholarship will support a faculty member at a GEBG member school to participate in a GEBG faculty immersive learning program outside of their country of residence.
The 2025 Bing scholarship supports a faculty member from a GEBG member school to participate in the 2025 GEBG summer professional learning program in Aotearoa, New Zealand. The scholarship covers full tuition for the program and $1,500 USD towards travel expenses.
A selection committee will select one participant a year using the following criteria.
Applicants should:
+ Be an educator in good standing at a current GEBG member school
+ Outline how they anticipate they will apply the professional learning at their school
+ Have limited prior experience with international professional learning and/or be from a member school with limited resources available for international professional learning
Applications are due by April 15th, 2025. Applicants will be notified by April 25th.
