Democracy Prep Global Citizens Program

At Democracy Prep we believe that in order to change the world, first you have to see it.

Democracy Prep’s Global Citizens Program provides scholars with local, national, and international opportunities to see the world and themselves in it. Our program fosters a deep commitment to global citizenship, understood by UNESCO as “a sense of belonging to a broader community and common humanity.” By examining issues that matter to them, their families, their communities and the world, our scholars develop a curiosity about and responsibility towards the wider global society.

In elementary school, scholars sample new cuisines, learn traditional music, dance and art forms, or hear firsthand from elder peers about their experiences traveling abroad. During their middle school years, scholars have the opportunity to visit Canada as well as significant national destinations including Boston, Birmingham, Colonial Williamsburg, the Grand Canyon, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, rural Vermont, and Washington D.C.. By the time they graduate from high school, our alumni will have had the opportunity to travel to up to five different continents including Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America.

The knowledge and skills our scholars attain through these experiences ensures they are prepared to succeed in an increasingly interconnected world and readies them to embrace the challenges and opportunities of our globalized society.

International Travel

Since 2010, several hundred Democracy Prep high school scholars have traveled to 10 different countries on 5 different continents. These experiences push scholars outside their comfort zones and provide opportunities to explore the origins, philosophies, and dilemmas of modern democracies. As they explore the world, scholars face both the joys and challenges of international travel and cross-cultural communication. They are encouraged to take risks, overcome a fear of the unknown, and engage with foreign cultures.

International travel allows our global citizens to forge deep connections, both personal and theoretical, and to refine a multitude of skills that prepare them for life in college and beyond. Scholars develop cross-cultural awareness and communication abilities, independent and critical thinking, flexibility, humility, and an understanding of both domestic and global issues. Of equal importance, scholars gain an appreciation that there is no corner of the world to which they do not have access or in which they cannot be successful.

Upon graduation, more than 60% of our alums will have traveled abroad on an educational trip at least once during their high school years. By comparison, only 1 in 10 U.S. undergraduates will study abroad and less than 20% of those who do are African American or Latinx. These experiences not only help our scholars to stand out as college applicants but provide them with invaluable social capital during college and beyond.

Democracy Prep’s international travel destinations include:

• Europe: Historical trips to Italy or France
• South America: Service-learning trips to Ecuador
• Asia: Cultural exchange trips to South Korea
• Africa: “Change the World” capstone trips to South Africa  

Global Citizens on our DPPS Blog

Highlights from our time abroad