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Go Global In The Windy City
Go Global In The Windy City
As an educator, I believe learning should start locally and ultimately expand globally. Below is a list of local, state, and national organizations I actively partner with so students become invested in the curriculum, analyze complex global issues, and make authentic, real-world connections in our classroom.
CARE (Credit Abuse Resistance Education) – Chicago Chapter
CARE (Credit Abuse Resistance Education) – Chicago Chapter
Level: National / Local
The Resource: A national network of financial and legal professionals dedicated to providing instruction to school aged youth on debt prevention and financial health. Many of these individuals are still practicing law or are current bankers. They volunteer with this organization in their free time.
How I Use It: I collaborate with the CARE Chicago Chapter each year to provide a scaffolded financial literacy curriculum. 9th and 10th grade students focus on budgeting while 11th and 12th grade students tackle credit management, and seniors navigate financial aid and scholarships.
The Global Connection: Learners who have access to these programs begin to understand how financial systems work and how to avoid debt. Also, once they graduate high school students are ready to navigate a complex, interconnected economy with the practical skills needed for lifelong financial independence.
How To Bring This To Your Space: I highly encourage educators to look within their own cities for banking, legal, or financial networks like CARE Chicago. Partnering with these volunteer-led professional coalitions is a powerful way to harness community resources and allow your learners to build their financial literacy skills they will need in order to navigate a the global economy when they are no longer in school.
Organization Link: click here
Bridges From School To Work
Bridges From School To Work
Level: National / Local
The Resource: A non-profit that connects young people with disabilities to employment through individualized employment coaching.
How I Use It: We have an on-site representative who works one-on-one with our students (ages 17+) on resume writing, job searching, and securing workplace accommodations each quarter during the school year.
The Global Connection: Transitioning from school to the workforce is a universal challenge shared by educational systems worldwide. Globally, we see students graduating as early as 16 years old and being asked to make major life decisions at a remarkably young age. When students have access to targeted employment preparation, they learn to confidently navigate workplace rights and accommodations—ensuring that diverse learners secure a seat at the table in any workforce, anywhere in the world.
How To Bring This To Your Space: I highly encourage Illinois educators to connect with Bridges from School to Work to see if they can secure an on-site representative for their classroom. If an in-person partnership is not available in your area, you can easily ask if an representative from this organization could assist you in organizing virtual coaching sessions, coordinating local job-shadowing opportunities, or hosting a virtual interview day with community business partners.
Organization Link: click here
Today At Apple
Today At Apple
Level: National / Global
The Resource: Today at Apple is a program put on by Apple (technology company) that teaches advanced digital skills using Apple products. This program is available nationally in various states across the USA.
How I Use It: During the school year, I collaborate with Apple on Michigan Avenue to provide free sessions for students in my job skills classes. In these sessions, students learn the art of portrait photography, lighting, and digital editing using Apple devices. Students who engage in these sessions apply the technology skills they learnto create their own professional resume headshots. In the end, they use their final product for job applications, LinkedIn profiles, and work portfolios.
The Global Connection: The use of digital tools for professional branding has become a skill that everyone needs to master in our globalized world. When students have access to these programs they build their global competence by learning to market themselves to a worldwide audience so they are ready to apply for various career fields when they graduate.
How To Bring This To Your Space: I would encourage educators in Illinois (especially the Chicago area) to partner with Today at Apple to expand your learners digital skills and toolkits. They offer free community sessions covering photography, coding, and foundational technology skills. When learners master these visual and technical mediums, they don't just learn tech—they gain the modern communication skills needed to share their unique voices and collaborate with a global audience.
Organization Link: click here
Chicago History Museum
Chicago History Museum
Level: Local / Global
The Resource: The Chicago History Museum is dedicated to preserving the artifacts and narratives of the Windy City.
How I Use It: During Quarter 3, students visit the museum to investigate local histories of social justice. By engaging with primary sources, they discover that justice is not just a concept for textbooks or famous figures—it is an active, local process. This immersive experience helps students select a meaningful artifact to anchor their personal essays in order to construct their own definition of justice.
The Global Connection: This local exploration connects to the global struggle for human rights. By understanding how Chicagoans have fought for equity, students recognize that the pursuit of justice is a universal endeavor that transcends borders.
How To Bring This To Your Space: The Chicago History Museum offers ready-made classroom resources designed to cultivate critical dialogue and empathy across all subject areas. Their Designing for Change materials are particularly impactful; they push students beyond historical facts, prompting them to think critically about real-world problem-solving and the specific changes they want to drive within their own communities today.
Organization Link: click here
Disclaimer - This website is not an official U.S. Department of State website. The views and information presented are the participant's own and do not represent the Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program, the U.S. Department of State, or IREX.
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