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 Spanish or French–written and illustrated by students at GEBG Member Schools.
This is a great global education opportunity for French and Spanish 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 six drafts for consideration–up to three in Spanish and French, each. Authors might be second-language students and/or heritage speakers with a proficiency comparable to a level-three student or higher. Please see the image below as a sample of the level of language proficiency as well as artistic approach. 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 level. 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 April and June 2024. Starting in the summer, selected students participate as a cohort in the editing and publishing process, resulting in publishing as soon as the Spring of 2025. We look forward to future opportunities to publish in other world languages like Mandarin Chinese.
Application opens in October 2023, rolling selections until April 2024
Global Expression and Thought (GET) Prize
The GET Prize for Global Expression and Thought recognizes both students and faculty for their learning and growth in the field of global education. Honorees are students from member schools who effectively use writing to illustrate/reflect their intercultural and global growth through classroom study, travel, or other school experiences; Faculty honorees have designed purposeful, exemplary curricula that target global competencies and facilitate student development as globally minded citizens.
GET Prize Criteria
In the 2023-24 School Year, four GET Prizes, each in the amount of $350 will be awarded to students and faculty. Student prizes are 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. Faculty prizes are given to two teachers across all divisions for distinguished global curriculum development. A committee consisting of community volunteers, GEBG Board Members, and staff select GET Prize recipients and Honorable Mentions.
STUDENT PRIZES
Middle School Level (grades 5-8) + High School Level (grades 9-12)
Entries should involve two or more perspectives, cultures, languages, families or national policies. Please select one of the following:
+ Global Self-Discovery Reflection: a personal reflection on an experience of intercultural resonance. These pieces would describe how an experience of virtual, local, national, and/or global interconnection impacted the student’s worldview and sense of self and place.
+ Global Thought Piece: an analytical and/or persuasive piece on a topic of international significance. These pieces would articulate thoughtful analysis and/or to defend a particular stance on a topic/issue of local, national, or global significance.
FACULTY PRIZES
Primary Level (grades 1-4)
A global classroom activity: this can be a single lesson, a week-long activity, or a technology initiative–you decide! For primary schools’ entries, the lesson/project should involve the examination of two or more perspectives or cultures. Please provide a written narrative of the classroom activity, along with optional photos and some examples of student work.
Middle and High School Level (grades 5-12)
For Middle and High School entries, the lesson, assignment, or unit of study should clearly target one or more global competencies, as articulated/defined by the assignment, department, and/or school. Submissions may include an assignment sheet, a lesson plan, and/or a unit design document and should include the following components:
+ Identification of the goals/objectives of the lesson/experience, including student outcomes
+ Articulation of the lesson/experience itself
+ Explanation of the methods of instruction/learning (including any key resources)
+ Documentation of evaluated student work—three examples demonstrating the range of the class
GET Prize Guidelines and Submission
The GET Prize submission is essentially written work. Photographs and drawings can be included, but the work will be judged on qualities of thought, evidence, organization, and effective use of language. Middle and Upper School student entries must be independently developed with minimum guidance from others. We kindly ask that the student’s GET Prize entry is entirely their/her/his work. The word limit is a minimum of 500 words, and a maximum of 750 words. Each school is allowed 2 entries per division.
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.
GET Prize Entries must be submitted by a school’s Global Coordinator on behalf of the student or educator. The Global Coordinator is expected to review each entry for quality, originality, and connections with global themes. Submissions include an entry form and submission of written work. An electronic notification will be sent to both the Global Coordinator and student or educator once a completed submission is received.