The Global Students Leadership Program

The World Affairs Council of Charlotte invites middle and high school students from the greater Charlotte area to participate in our programming with subsidized or complimentary access to WACC events and global-issue driven forums. By doing so, they have the opportunity to listen, learn, and engage with experts who share their insights on critical global issues that have geopolitical consequences.

This program provides students with the knowledge and understanding of how world affairs and current events impact businesses and communities around the world. We aim to equip students with the necessary skills to become informed global citizens who are competitive in the global job market, can pursue upward mobility, and become critical thinkers in an increasingly interconnected world. We not only expose students to diverse perspectives but we also provide them with valuable learning experiences that emphasize cultural exchange, travel, and foreign language.

In addition, the Council makes a special effort to reach out to under-resourced schools, including Title 1 institutions, where students are more likely to come from challenging socioeconomic environments.

The Global Student Leadership Program has seen participation from several schools, including:

• Harding University High School
• Garinger High School
• Myers Park High School
• Hickory Ridge High School
• Collinswood Language Academy
• East Mecklenburg High School
• South Academy of International Languages (S.A.I.L) 
• Ardrey Kell High School
• Military and Global Leadership Academy at Hawthorne
• North Academy of World Languages (N.A.W.L)
• Olympic High School
• Palisades High School
• West Mecklenburg High School
• West Charlotte High School.

Photo: Robert Walker, President of The Population Institute Students speaking to students from J.N. Fries Magnet Middle

Photo: Students from Military and Global Leadership Academy at Marie G. Davis with Maj. Gen. Michael J. Kingsley is Chief of Staff of AFRICOM