Global Kids Chronicles | March 2026 Monthly Newsletter
- Global Kids
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Dear Global Kids Community,
Last month, students across New York City and Washington, D.C. brought Black History Month to life as they led with creativity, service, and leadership.
From collaborative art projects and performances in NYC schools to hands-on service and civic engagement in D.C., students connected lessons to real-world impact while developing skills and vision for the future. Four youth leaders even took their voices to the D.C. Council to advocate for critical afterschool funding, while Maryland college tours gave other students a first-hand look at life beyond high school.
Knowledge isn’t just learned—it’s lived, and our students are leading the way. Learn more about how our young leaders are shaping their communities and inspiring change!
NYC Students Honor Black History Month Through Artistry, Culture, and Community
From artistic expression and hands-on learning to community engagement and STEM exploration, Global Kids students honored Black changemakers by turning their stories into art, performances and acts of leadership.
Across our sites, students marked the month in several inspiring ways:
P.S. 21 Crispus Attucks – The Living Library: Students in grades 3–5 brought Black history to life through The Living Library, a vibrant, student-led performance that blended storytelling, dance, spoken word poetry, and music. Developed in partnership with Arts in Blue, the production reimagined a library as a space for discovery and imagination.
Q300 – “Silhouettes of Influence” Collaborative Art Project: Inspired by artist Faith Ringgold, students explored how art can preserve and celebrate legacies through the “Silhouettes of Influence” project. Each student selected a Black historical figure and created a large-scale profile filled with a visual “mind map” of that individual’s values, dreams, and transformative ideas. The individual portraits were then combined into a collaborative quilt, symbolizing unity and demonstrating how unique stories weave together to form the larger fabric of history.
P.S. 96 – Student Council Service and Community Building: Student Council members led service activities for younger students, reading stories and facilitating card-making that resulted in more than 60 cards, including some delivered to the Central Harlem Senior Citizen Center. In addition, students created affirmation “conversation hearts” in partnership with New York Foundling and helped host the school’s first “Smalls and Talls” family dance, which welcomed more than 50 families.
Manhattan East – STEM Exploration and HBCU Learning: In STEM sessions, students explored force and motion by testing paper balls of different materials and examining how mass, air resistance, and structure affected movement. They also celebrated Black History Month through interactive games like “Guess the HBCU,” building teamwork while learning about the impact of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
P.S. 109 – Art and Dance: Seventh graders expressed love and kindness through a “Snacks and Paint” session, and Global Kids’ dancers performed an African dance during the school’s Black History Month celebration.
Park Place – Global Arts Instagram Project: Students completed their Black History Month Instagram project, From Social Justice to Social Media, creating profile posters of historical figures connected to social justice that included a bio, key moments as posts, and links to related organizations.
Through artistic ingenuity, service, and collaborative projects, Global Kids students showed that young people are not just reflecting on history – they are actively shaping the future with wonder, compassion, and purpose.
D.C. Students Take Part in All-Day Community Service with Sasha Bruce Youthwork
Global Kids students from Benjamin Banneker Academic High School participated in a day of service focused on community awareness and giving back. The day began with a visit to a local library, where students engaged in a discussion about youth homelessness and the underlying factors that contribute to housing insecurity.
From there, youth volunteered at Sasha Bruce Youthwork’s transitional living program, helping to prepare pizza, salad, and brownies for residents to enjoy. In addition to cooking, students organized Valentine’s Day activities for residents, including creating handmade cards with messages of encouragement and support.
Through hands-on service and meaningful conversations, the experience encouraged students to deepen their understanding of community challenges while demonstrating the importance of civic engagement, solidarity, and youth leadership.
Youth Leaders Testify Before D.C. Council in Support of Afterschool Funding
Recently, four young women from Benjamin Banneker High School testified before the D.C. Council Committee of the Whole in support of Learn24, a citywide program that provides high-quality afterschool and summer learning opportunities for young people across Washington, D.C. Their testimonies highlighted the critical role Learn24 funding plays in giving students safe, supportive spaces to learn, build confidence, and explore future opportunities.
As we recognize Women’s History Month, we’re proud to highlight the courage and leadership these students demonstrated as they shared how participation in Global Kids and other afterschool programs has shaped their growth, strengthened their decision-making skills, and prepared them for their future.
By speaking directly to policymakers, these young women showed the power of youth voices and the impact they can have on their communities.
Students Explore Future Pathways Through College Campus Tours
As they prepare for the next step in their academic journeys, D.C. high school students recently toured several Maryland colleges, including Johns Hopkins University, Morgan State University, Bowie State University, and the University of Maryland.
Throughout the visits, students had the chance to ask questions about academics, admissions, and extracurricular activities while learning about the differences between public and private institutions. They also explored campus dining halls, sampling student favorites and classic dishes along the way.
The tours aimed to help students envision life beyond high school, offering a clear picture of daily campus life and the resources available to support both academic and personal success, including at institutions close to home.
Upcoming Events
Global Kids Annual Benefit – June 2, 2026
Save the date for the Global Kids Annual Benefit on June 2, 2026! This special evening will advance our mission to educate, inspire, and mobilize youth to become engaged global citizens and leaders.
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