ELIGIBLITY

All elementary and secondary schools are invited to participate in Challenge 20/20. They may be public or private schools, located anywhere in the world. We accept both NAIS member schools and non-member schools.  At a school, the group of students may be part of a particular academic class or other group such as a club or after-school activity.  More than one team from a particular school may participate if they wish to tackle multiple problems, provided its partner school agrees to form multiple teams or provided NAIS can locate multiple partner schools.

There is no fee to participate and no travel required. This is an online international education program. Proficiency in English is required to participate in the program.

For a list of global problems you may select from click here

HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS

1. APPLICATION FOR 2009-2010 SCHOOL YEAR: Apply online from March 2 - August 17, 2009.  To apply for the 2009-2010 Challenge 20/20, click here!
If your school already has an established relationship with a school in another country, we encourage the two schools to work together. Please indicate this relationship on your application form.  We must receive individual application forms from each school/class wishing to participate. If your school does not have a partner school in mind, simply select the problems (up to five in order of preference);for which you would like to work toward a solution. NAIS will work to partner your school, based on the problem/s you have selected. If we cannot find a partner for your school this year, we will give your school priority for next year's program, provided you re-submit an application form. If NAIS is unable to identify a partner for your school this year, your school can also opt to participate in Challenge 20/20 as a non-partnered school in preparation for next year.

2. PARTERSHIP: NAIS will contact you about the partnership. NAIS will do its best to set up a partnership by September 2009. Your school should make contact with the partner school and begin planning immediately.

The Head of School must approve a school's participation. Immediately after NAIS announces the pairings for the Challenge 20/20 program, all schools should submit the Agreement for Participation in Challenge 20/20 due by mid September 2009 and/or after making initial contact with your partner school/s:

3. GET TO WORK! At the start of the school year, student-teacher teams should begin to work on their solutions. Both schools will be expected to incorporate the program into their curricula and to keep regular contact with each other. NAIS has prepared a series of guidelines and criteria to assist you with working on the Challenge 20/20 program. We also encourage you to use the Challenge 20/20 listserv to exchange ideas with other teams. (To join or to unsubscribe from the listserv, e-mail suciu@nais.org.)

NON-PARTNERED SCHOOLS PARTICIPATION: Schools that have not been partnered can opt to participate in the Challenge 20/20 program as a non-partnered school. Follow the same guidelines as partnered schools without the communication component. Non-partnered schools will not receive a certificate of participation unless it is requested by the school.

SUBMIT A REPORT:  For Term One:  By February 1, 2010, the Challenge 20/20 faculty from the U.S. independent school or the primary team contact will submit an online report on behalf of the team so please coordinate the content of the report as a team prior to final submissions. The online report will ask questions about the team's solutions and about the experience. (A username and a password is required to access the online form and it can be retrieved online at http://www.nais.org/go/challenge2020. We will also post in advance a Word or PDF copy of the online submission form so that you can prepare your reports in advance.)

For Term Two:  Submit your report by May 3, 2010.

In addition to your online report, you may also submit supplemental materials that will be used or display purposes and marketing of the program. If you are creating a PowerPoint presentation, please use the NAIS template. To use the template, simply right-click on the slide and select Edit Text. We also encourage schools to send NAIS photographs and testimonials from participating students, faculty members, and heads as well as photographs of students working on Challenge 20/20. You may submit these materials by e-mail or by mail. It is important that you label them as follows:

NAIS will not be able to confirm receipt of all supplemental materials unless requested by the school.

Note: All reports and supporting materials will become the property of NAIS to be used on display at the discretion of NAIS (for example at the Annual Conference and on the NAIS website). By sending us your supporting materials, you grant NAIS permission to duplicate them and/or to showcase them. All Challenge 20/20 partnered schools that submit reports will receive a certificate at the end of the program acknowledging their participation.

*****Schools can select to work on one of the two terms but if they have a great experience working with their partner school/s, they may wish to continue their work and partnership beyond the scheduled term and we strongly encourage that.  Term One participants also may have the option of reporting back to NAIS during the second term reporting session by May 3, 2010.  If you choose to work during Term One but submit your report by May 3rd instead of in January, please contact Ioana Suciu at suciu@nais.org.


CHALLENGE 20/20 LISTSERVE AND WEB PLATFORM

The NAIS Challenge 20/20 listserve provides a forum for Challenge 20/20 participants, (staff and faculty from schools in the United States as well as schools abroad), to exchange ideas and resources that will assist in guiding their students to find local solutions to global problems. Via this listserve, schools can also share what their students are doing by posting text such as journal entries, blurbs, or quotes. Attachments are not allowed on the listserve.

Once partnered, all Faculty Sponsors and School Contact emails will be added to the Challenge 20/20 listserve. If you would like to unsubscribe, please e-mail Ioana Suciu at suciu@nais.org. To view instructions on how to use the listserve and the Challenge 20/20 web platform on Ning click here.

INSTITUTE FOR STUDENT LEADERS

Partnered schools and non-partnered schools that participate in the 2009-2010 Challenge 20/20 are invited to submit an application to send student representatives (current grades 8-11) to the Institute for Student Leaders taking place in Summer 2010. Read more about ISL and stay tuned for registration information coming up in Winter 2009/Spring 2010.  This event has been outsourced to the Global Youth Leadership Institute (GYLI) and they will develop future ISL's.  Challenge 20/20 participants will continue to have priority to register for this event.