1. Global Problem-Solving in Action: NAIS’s Challenge 20/20 Program
Ioana Simona Suciu Wheeler NAIS Associate Director of Global Initiatives
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2. NAIS Global Initiatives
At NAIS, we believe that in order to survive in the 21st Century, schools must be sustainable in five key areas:
1. financial 2. environmental 3. global 4. programmatic 5. demographic
The mission of the Global Initiatives team is:
To assist NAIS member schools in their quest for a more global future for their students, NAIS will nurture partnerships and provide resources within an international framework.

3. Challenge 20/20: International education program
Internet-based program with no cost and no travel required
Cross-cultural partnerships
Open to public and private schools, elementary and secondary

4. One Book: High Noon: 20 Global Problems, 20 Years to Solve Them

5. Sharing our planet: Issues involving the global community
Global warming
Biodiversity and ecosystem losses
Fisheries depletion
Deforestation
Water deficits
Maritime safety and pollution

6. Sharing our humanity: Issues requiring a global commitment
Massive step-up in the fight against poverty
Peacekeeping, conflict prevention, combating terrorism
Education for all
Global infectious diseases
Digital divide
Natural disaster prevention and mitigation

7. Sharing our rule book: Issues needing a global regulatory approach
Reinventing taxation for the twenty-first century
Biotechnology rules
Global financial architecture
Illegal drugs
Trade, investment, and competition rules
Intellectual property rights
E-commerce rules
International labor and migration rules

8. Goals Creative problem-solving Collaboration
Communication with students from a different country and culture
Community service, service learning
Learning different perspectives

9. Partnerships together (sister schools etc).
Some schools are already working
together (sister schools etc).
Others are paired by NAIS based on
grade level
topic of interest
preferred partner school and/or location
when they want to start (1st or 2nd term)
2-3 school partnerships

10. Structure and Program Details
Relatively unstructured: no benchmarks or performance standards
Paperwork: registration process; reports Flexible
Free of cost (purchase book)
No travel is required
Online collaboration (wikis, Skype, Facebook, Ning, Moodle, Second Life, videoconferencing, teleconferencing)
We accept all schools: elementary and secondary, public and private
Schools can find their own partners or ask NAIS to partner them
Southern and Northern Hemisphere schools

11. Challenge 20/20 Stats as of 2009-2010
Sixth year; program developed in
schools participate every year
2 to 4 schools within a partnership
Over 1,050 schools in the US and 724 schools in other countries have participated in 656 partnerships since
99 countries represented and 47 U.S. states

12. Participants 2005: 75 schools from 26 US States and 30 countries
2007: More than 400 schools from 39 US States and 56 countries
2008: More than 500 schools from 41 US States and 61 countries
2009: 397 schools from 43 US States and 48 countries

13. Examples of Challenge 20/20 Projects:
Mosquito Nets designed for small children in Africa (CO)
Supplying a village in India with a nurse/medical facility (PA)
Supplying hand sanitizers to hospitals in Mexico and Honduras (TX)
Rebuilding a school in Tanzania (CA)
Public service announcements regarding water deficits (OK)

14. Examples
Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Flourtown, PA, and St. Joseph's Convent Girls' Senior Secondary School, Jabalpur, India 
Global problem: Infectious Diseases 9-12
Students launched a charitable partnership with two impoverished towns in India.

15. Examples St. Mary’s Episcopal School, Memphis Tennessee and Steigerwald Landschulheim Gymnasium Wiesentheid Germany 9-12
Global Infectious Diseases
Schools decided to concentrate on hygiene
Created The Helping Hands Program
Sanitizers and educational tools put in to the Hospital Benjamin Bloom in El Salvador, working with an NGO there

16. Examples Elementary School Partnership PK-5
Bright School, Chattanooga, TN, partnered with Colegio Cristobal Colon, Lomas Verdes, Naucalpan de Juarez, Mexico. Global Problem:  Water Deficits
Students are running informational campaigns including public service TV spots they created, to encourage water conservation.

17. Joining the Challenge 20/20 Program: Apply Now to Join Hundreds of Schools Solving the World’s Problems
Submit your application from March to August!
Select Term One (September to January) or Term Two (January to May). Partnerships made by September.
Submit an Agreement for Participation in September or whenever you make contact with your partner school/s.
Contact your partner school/s to begin your collaboration.
At the end of each Term, submit an online team report as well as photographs, testimonials and supplemental materials.
Apply online at:

18. More Information Available at:

19. Challenge 20/20 Video:
Enjoy a short video about Challenge 20/20!