CGEL goes public

The DC Center for Global Education and Leadership (CGEL), a nonprofit organization that works to promote global education for DC students, is very pleased to launch its new website at www.dc-cgel.org, and invites all interested members of our community to use it to learn about the organization, to understand the latest global education developments in DC, and to get involved in the movement to globalize K-12 education in the District of Columbia.

This step represents the culmination of important behind-the-scenes foundational work, made possible with the assistance and input of many committed and wonderful individuals:

• CGEL secured its 501(c)(3) IRS tax-exempt status, thanks to the pro bono legal assistance of our great friends at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP.
   
• CGEL completed its incubation period with Phelps Stokes, with a seed grant from the United Nations Foundation. Both entities were critical in allowing CGEL to continue to sponsor programs while putting together the basic structure of the organization. The Community Foundation of the National Capital Region also sponsored a fund for CGEL during this incubation period.
   
• CGEL formed its Partner Collaborative to serve as a creative and potentially powerful vehicle for collaboration and cooperation among the city’s many globally focused organizations.

CGEL’s mission is to promote high quality, systemic global education in DCPS to ensure that all students, regardless of income or social background, are prepared for responsible global citizenship in the 21st century. CGEL will work in several ways to accomplish this mission:

• It will serve as a clearinghouse for information on all aspects of global education in DC.
• It will promote and support the systemic globalization of K-12 public education in DC.
• It will establish its own programs for students and teachers, where needed.
• It will work to mobilize community resources and build strategic partnerships in support of expanding global education for DC public school students.

CGEL’s website will be a vital tool in support of this work, and will serve as one-stop shop on global education opportunities, resources, news, and best practices for DC educators, students, and partners. The website will be updated frequently as we add important elements and collect new information. This will be an ongoing process. The website’s utility will depend on the involvement and input of all our supporters and allies. We look forward to working together as CGEL grows over the coming months and years.

CGEL wishes to thank Teddy Spittal at BigHeadIS for his tremendous work in putting this website together.

For further information and to provide feedback, please contact sally@dc-cgel.org.