Student Education Program
CSWAC Selected to Participate in Turkish Cultural Program
The World Affairs Councils of America in Washington, D.C. selected the CSWAC as one of the 21 councils from across the country to participate in the second annual Turkish Cultural Program. Our Board of Directors decided to apply for this program in November 2007, and we were notified in late December of our selection. This program is sponsored by the Turkish Cultural Foundation and consists of a three-part agenda involving four high school teachers that have been chosen from our area.
Rampart High School Wins Local Academic WorldQuest Competition and Attends national Event
The Rampart High School Academic WorldQuest team won the local competition held at Air Academy High School in January 2008. This was the third consecutive year that Rampart has won this event. Under the leadership of Pam Lively, the number of local high schools participating has increased over the past few years with eight teams competing this year.
Academic WorldQuest involves the participating teams in a series of questions focusing on current international events, international organizations and agreements, and foreign policy decision makers among other topics.
Over the weekend of April 4th through 6th, the Rampart team traveled to Washington, D.C. for the national competition. At the World Affairs Council luncheon on April 2nd, the Rampart team and the team from Lewis Palmer High School (runner up from the January competition) were recognized. The Lewis Palmer team consists of Joseph Marcus, Danny Dauwe, Patrick Morgan, and Aaron Dilsaver with Kathryn Holley as coach. The Rampart team includes Akshay Buddiga, Michael Tope, James Angeles, and James Larock with Don Kramer as coach. The generous grant provided by the James and Dianne Cameron Foundation permitted our council to support the Rampart team’s trip to Washington.
May 14 Luncheon Presentation
President's Message
From your President, Tom Wise
Greetings to you all!
With the ice on the Broadmoor lakes melting and the temps rising over the weekend into the 60’s, it caused me to reflect about the joy of spring and that it’s just around the corner again.
So too as I pondered that pleasant thought, my focus shifted to another pleasantry, our March through May final leg of winter/spring luncheons set to commence in a few days. I do hope you peruse our Web site and consider joining us for several of these upcoming events.
Folks, I’d like to spend some time in this writing offering you an update on our growing relationship with the Pikes Peak Library District. Some of you know that we currently have a productive, if not informal, working arrangement together. Due to discussions over the recent months, the WAC and the PPLD have agreed in principle to look to expand our relationship and form a community partnership.
WAC and PPLD Form Community Partnership
Last month the WAC and the PPLD formed a more formal working arrangement whereby the individual and collective missions of each organization will be enhanced through the association.
The purpose of the arrangement is to find additional ways to use our mind altering programming and the library’s technology and outlets in order to impact our community.
One outcrop of this collaboration is to conduct Teen Breakfasts at the PPLD’s Teen Media Center beginning this fall. WAC selected speakers will give a talk at the center followed by a Q & A before a live audience of some 30 teens and the program will also be web cast simultaneously to other local area high schools.
Additionally, the organizations plan on promoting each other through a variety of means in order to increase public awareness of the various programs each is involved with.
This community partnership is one of the initial cogs in the WAC wheel of looking to develop a systematic approach to achieving its three main objectives. These are new membership, corporate sponsorship and enhanced technology and infrastructure.
International Visitors Program
The International Visitor Leadership Program brings foreign opinion leaders to the United States to meet directly with their American counterparts. These current and emerging leaders from overseas travel to communities throughout the United States for face-to-face meetings with their professional colleagues. The exchange enables the foreign leaders to obtain first hand knowledge about the United States, its people, policies and culture. Lasting business, cultural and educational contacts with prominent professional overseas often develop.
Muslim Journalists Hosted by CSCIV
Six Muslim journalists, participating in the U.S. State Department's International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), were hosted on June 22 by members of the Colorado Springs Committee for International Visitors (CSCIV). The CSCIV is a subcommittee of the Colorado Springs World Affairs Council (CSWAC). The journalists were involved in a Senior Journalists Seminar with the objective of Building Understanding between the United States and the Asian Muslim World.