In a world that increasingly demands globally minded citizens, educators are the ones helping shape future changemakers. AFS Intercultural Programs proudly recognizes the 300 teachers from 44 countries who have just completed the 2024–2025 cycle of the AFS Effect+ for the Classroom program—a fully funded virtual initiative designed to empower secondary school educators with the knowledge and tools to bring global citizenship education into their classrooms.
Thanks to the ongoing support of the Cyril Taylor Charitable Foundation, this international program has grown steadily over the past five years. To date, it has engaged more than 1,350 teachers across 65 countries and reached an estimated 145,000 students worldwide.
“I truly valued the chance to collaborate with educators from diverse backgrounds, sharing insights and effective teaching strategies. The course offered invaluable resources that have helped me design more inclusive, culturally aware lessons. I now feel more confident in my ability to foster global citizenship in my students. Overall, this course has been a transformative journey, enhancing both my professional development and my approach to teaching.” – said an educator from Indonesia who participated in the Effect+ program.
Recognizing Global Educators in a Virtual Celebration
Starting in October 2024, participants embarked on a three-part learning journey focused on building their own global competence and helping students explore global issues.
In the first phase, teachers completed the Global Up Educator course, earning the AFS Global Competence Certificate. They then moved into classroom application, using the AFS Educator Toolkit to introduce their students to global citizenship concepts through the lens of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This phase included an emphasis on students learning more about their identity and how that can influence and shape how they might perceive the world differently than others. After looking inward, the curriculum looks outward and is centered on developing empathy for others and working towards building bridges across differences.
In the final chapter, teachers had the chance to mentor student-led social impact projects, submitted for consideration in the 2025 Sir Cyril Taylor Young Leaders Awards.
To celebrate the program’s conclusion, AFS hosted a virtual recognition event this past Saturday. The ceremony featured remarks from William Gertz, representing the Cyril Taylor Charitable Foundation, and Daniel Obst, AFS President and CEO. Attendees also heard insights from AFS Qualified Facilitators, who supported live sessions throughout the program, as well as reflections from educator participants. The event culminated in the announcement of this year’s student award winners.
Student Projects Bring Global Thinking to Local Action
The program culminated with the 2025 Sir Cyril Taylor Young Leaders Awards. This year, 41 student projects were submitted from 13 countries—each tackling pressing local issues through a global lens. One overall winner and three honorable mentions were selected for their creativity, relevance, and impact.
The overall winning project—and a scholarship to the AFS Global You Changemaker program—was awarded to SSVM School of Excellence in Coimbatore, India for the project, Goalkeepers, created by student Vivaan M.P. under the mentorship of teacher Preetha Senthilkumar. The international panel of judges were impressed with its innovative digital gaming platform designed to make learning about the SDGs fun and accessible for young learners.
Honorable mentions were awarded to:
- Local Activists and Global Thinkers by Bookbridge Arvaikheer (Arvaikheer, Mongolia)
- Trash to Cash by Cherutombo High (Marondera, Zimbabwe)
- Ageisky by El Sewedy International School for Applied Technology and Software (Giza, Egypt)
With more than 80 people in attendance, the ceremony was a powerful reminder of the global educator network working toward a shared goal. While only a few teams received formal recognition, every participant contributed to meaningful global learning and collaboration. AFS applauds the commitment of all involved and remains dedicated to equipping educators with the tools to inspire global citizenship in every corner of the world.