Reach the World

Reach the World Reach the World seeks to build a expand cross-cultural competence, compassion, and connection.

Reach the World's first journey was the world circumnavigation of the Makulu, a 43-foot sailboat operated by young educators who shared their adventures online, for the first time in history, with public school classrooms in underserved communities in the U.S. In 2009, technology improvements allowed Reach the World to begin engaging volunteer travelers as our voices around the globe. RTW now matches volunteer travelers who are studying, working or exploring abroad with K-12 classrooms globally. Since 2009, 930 travelers have shared their journeys online with more than 17,000 youth in the U.S., publishing more than 16,000 first-person travelogues in the process. By using technology to enable youth to form relationships with global travelers, RTW is sparking a process of personal development that can truly be described as “reaching” the world!

Congratulations to Lynn Ahlers and Justin Liddle, Reach the World’s Teacher(s) of the Month! Lynn and Justin teach 8th g...
10/05/2026

Congratulations to Lynn Ahlers and Justin Liddle, Reach the World’s Teacher(s) of the Month!

Lynn and Justin teach 8th grade Spanish 1 at the largest middle school in Iowa: Southeast Middle School in Iowa City. Their Reach the World journey began when a colleague, who had been nominated by a former traveler, shared the program with Lynn. Lynn received a Reach the World scholarship to participate—and then introduced Justin to the program. He loved it, too!

This year, both teachers wanted to return, so they took the initiative to secure funding through the Big Little Ideas Grant from the Iowa City Community School District Foundation. They were awarded a grant to bring both programs back to their Title I school!

Thank you, Lynn and Justin, for going the extra mile to keep meaningful global learning experiences going for your students. Your creativity, initiative, and belief in the power of global connections are helping students see beyond their classroom and connect with the wider world. 🌎✨

Iowa City Community School District Foundation for the Iowa City Community School District

Congratulations to Traveler of the Week, The Fulbright Program grantee Jack Devlin! Jack is a wildlife photographer curr...
10/02/2026

Congratulations to Traveler of the Week, The Fulbright Program grantee Jack Devlin! Jack is a wildlife photographer currently based in Kathmandu, , where he is collaborating with scientists and conservationists to raise awareness around some of Nepal's most threatened species.

Jack is sharing his experiences in Nepal through a with educator Lisa Ball’s 11th- and 12th-grade students at Lawrence High School in Lawrence, Kansas. Jack has already set a high bar, giving students an up-close look at Nepal’s remarkable biodiversity. From monitoring pangolins in Chitwan National Park to exploring the deeper connection between Nepalese culture and conservation, Jack is sharing it all through thoughtful words and extraordinary photography at www.reachtheworld.org/jacks-journey-nepal.

Great work, Jack!

Thanks to the support of the Citi e for education campaign, students in Kansas will explore Nepal together with Jack for the next 11 weeks.

Congratulations to our first 2026-27 academic year Traveler of the Week, Gilman International Scholarship Program grante...
09/25/2026

Congratulations to our first 2026-27 academic year Traveler of the Week, Gilman International Scholarship Program grantee Wini Ofori-Manu! Wini is a senior at Harvard University, currently studying abroad in Cape Town, South Africa, and just beginning a with 11th- and 12th-graders at Benjamin Banneker High School in College Park, Georgia.

Wini has set a very high bar from week one, showing her matched classroom how deeply the arts are infused into Cape Town’s history and culture. Students got to experience the city’s First Thursdays festival and more with Wini as their guide this week--and so can you at reachtheworld.org/winis-journey-south-africa/journal/experiencing-cape-town-through-arts.

Great work, Wini!

Thanks to the support of the Citi e for education campaign, 65 students in Georgia will explore South Africa together with Wini for the next 11 weeks.

Citi e for education helps Reach the World students rewrite their stories and build a bigger network. More K-12 students...
09/14/2026

Citi e for education helps Reach the World students rewrite their stories and build a bigger network. More K-12 students than ever are connecting with global role models, and together we're inspiring the next generation of curious, confident and compassionate global citizens. Thank you, !

Congratulations to Vickie Crockett, Reach the World's Teacher of the Month! Vickie is an English Language Arts teacher a...
09/08/2026

Congratulations to Vickie Crockett, Reach the World's Teacher of the Month!

Vickie is an English Language Arts teacher at Benjamin Banneker High School in College Park, Georgia. As a passionate global educator, Vickie has facilitated connections for her students with travelers in Brazil and Costa Rica, exploring topics ranging from sustainability and health care to gender equity, media representation, and African identity.

This photo is from 2024, when Vickie and her students met their Reach the World Traveler, grantee Vanessa Lent, in-person in Costa Rica!

Thank you, Vickie, for helping your students see the world, challenge stereotypes, and connect global issues to their own lives and communities. ⭐️🌎⭐️

Welcome to the new school year! Last year, 406 educators and 10,812 K-12 students in 43 U.S. states brought the world in...
09/03/2026

Welcome to the new school year!

Last year, 406 educators and 10,812 K-12 students in 43 U.S. states brought the world into their classrooms through a Reach the World virtual exchange.

From Albania to Zambia (and 79 countries in between), Reach the World travelers from The Fulbright Program, the Gilman International Scholarship Program, and Peace Corps shared real-world adventure and fresh perspectives with the next generation of curious, confident and compassionate global citizens.

What do you and your students want to explore this year?

Reach the World is proud to be an official charity partner of the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon. Our all-star team of ...
08/14/2026

Reach the World is proud to be an official charity partner of the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon. Our all-star team of four runners is training hard to take on the iconic five-borough run while raising funds to bring real-world adventure and fresh perspectives into U.S. K-12 classrooms. Now that’s something worth ringing a cowbell about!🏃🏻‍♀️🔔🌎

Meet our runners and support Team Reach the World at https://bit.ly/RTW_NYCMarathon.

New York Road Runners (NYRR)

📣New partnership announcement!📣Reach the World and the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations have established a framew...
07/02/2026

📣New partnership announcement!📣

Reach the World and the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations have established a framework for cooperation on virtual exchange programming designed to broaden U.S. K-12 students’ understanding of Arab and Islamic cultures in the Middle East and North Africa. Beginning this fall, Reach the World educators will have more ways to inspire student curiosity and nurture fresh perspectives alongside National Council-affiliated global role models in the MENAR region!

Reach the World is proud to announce that we have been selected as an Official Charity Partner for the 2026 TCS New York...
07/01/2026

Reach the World is proud to announce that we have been selected as an Official Charity Partner for the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon!

Get ready to meet the four amazing runners who will run 26.2 miles through all five boroughs of NYC while raising funds to support global education and giving students a reason to dream bigger about their own futures. Learn more and support Team Reach the World here: https://bit.ly/3Sv2Kt8

New York Road Runners (NYRR)

07/01/2026

Happy 250th Birthday, America! 🇺🇸 To celebrate, Reach the World collaborated with the Gilman International Scholarship Program for a Gilman Day of Service initiative, bringing Gilman Scholarship awardees into 100 U.S. K-12 schools in 40 states to inspire and empower the next generation of global leaders. Thank you to all the inspiring Gilman Scholars across the country who participated!

Address

New York, NY

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Reach the World posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category