Today, we celebrate five years of progress in an extraordinary journey for change. Through the Peace Makers and Problem Solvers Program (PMPS), young people in Colombia and the United States have learned to take action to create the change they want to see in their communities and embarked on a journey to develop and grow their leadership potential, helping to build a culture of non-violence and peace.
Top: Colombian Schools in Antioquia. Diocesano Laura Montoya (Chigorodó), La Provincia (Capera), and El Cerro (Carepa).
Bottom: U.S. Schools in Maryland. Sheppard Pratt (Towson) and Poolesville High School (Poolesville).
The PMPS leadership development and virtual exchange program has connected five school communities from Colombia and the United States in the past five years. More than 100 students and teachers have completed the curriculum and engaged with their international peers. Working across borders to design and implement youth-led projects, the young leaders have impacted over 900 community members in both countries.
Youth-led projects have addressed bullying and mental health through campaigns in their school communities, taught socio-emotional skills to elementary school students to prevent violence and promote peace, highlighted food insecurity through digital campaigns, promoted positive health habits to fellow community members, provided necessary school supplies to under-funded schools, and delivered recreational and experiential activities to promote an equitable and peaceful school environment.
To learn more about Peace Makers and Problem Solvers check this link
This year we are excited to continue the journey. Through weekly after-school workshops, 5 teachers are guiding more than 30 students in learning and enhancing their leadership and problem-solving skills. After taking a deep dive into their communities' strengths and challenges, participants reflected, discussed, and identified which challenges they would like to tackle. Now, they are working collaboratively to design well-thought-out projects to tackle these issues. Over the next few months, the students will turn their ideas into reality, creating social-impact projects with tangible results to serve the interests and well-being of their communities and future generations.
Join this journey for change and help the PMPS cohort raise funds for their projects! By designing projects that address critical needs in their communities, the youth are empowered to lead the drive for change through action. Your funding support can help their projects move forward and make a greater impact!
At The Marshall Legacy Institute, we are pleased to welcome you aboard and ride along in our Journey for Change experience. We are ready to depart with you!
Click here to support the Journey for Change and help fund this year's inspiring social impact projects!