Freshmen Connect with Professionals Through Real-World Learning

Freshmen in Angela Akers’ World Regional Studies (WRS) class engaged in a dynamic Real-World Learning (RWL) experience as part of their unit on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Africa. Students were challenged to study a region in Sub-Saharan Africa, identify a pressing issue, and develop a nonprofit organization aimed at addressing that need.

The project encompassed the WRS curriculum, integrating key academic skills such as research and exploration, problem-solving, persuasive writing, and a deep understanding of how culture and climate impact human activity.

“This Entrepreneurial Real-World Learning project was such a meaningful experience for me and my students,” Akers shared. “It was a relatively easy process to incorporate RWL into the curriculum I was already planning. It’s not as daunting as it seems, and the rewards are so worth it. My students are still talking about how much it meant to them.”

To kick off the project, Rachel Shuck, Development Director for the Shawnee Mission Education Foundation, visited the class to share insights on nonprofit development. She guided students through essential components of starting a nonprofit, including building a board of directors, fundraising strategies, and the importance of storytelling.

The students’ nonprofit ideas addressed a wide range of real-world challenges including housing, water scarcity, food insecurity, and unemployment. As a capstone to the unit, students hosted a gallery walk in the school library. Community professionals were invited to attend, hear the students’ presentations, and provide feedback. Students showcase their work through presentations, brochures, and websites, sharing both the issues they studied and the nonprofit solutions they envisioned.

“Having WaterOne come and give us feedback made us really feel like we were doing something important. I want to do this again,” said Andrew Coleman, a student whose project focused on water pollution.

“I enjoyed seeing the students’ passion shine through. They really took the time and effort to research water-related issues and come up with thoughtful solutions,” said Kelly Fry, Communications Manager at WaterOne. “They did a wonderful job presenting their nonprofits and answering questions. It was a great project to show them real-world issues and give them the power to do something about it.”

Find out more about Real World Learning in the Shawnee Mission School District by clicking here.