Becoming more aware of global issues

Students who participate in the Global Scholars program at Lawrence Woodmere Academy (LWA) earn a certificate by attaining points in the areas of service learning, cross-cultural engagement and extracurricular activities during their global studies concentration. The program was implemented to help students become more aware of diverse cultures and more well-informed about what goes on in the world around them.
Being the only school on Long Island to have the Global Scholars program and one of 22 schools nationwide, LWA students gain an advantage over their peers by possessing a worldview as their world expands through college and into a career.
What does it mean to be a global scholar? It means that students are able to create pathways for the future as architects and global leaders. Several students have established clubs, such as Operation Greenhouse and Table Talk, which foster awareness and dialogue regarding worldwide issues.
An important question we must ask ourselves is: Are we as globally involved as we say we are? More often than not, the answer will be no, but in order to answer this question it must be clear what being globally involved truly means. In order to be an active participant in the world, we must be able to achieve worldwide awareness by learning more about the cultures, experiences and even tragedies of the people in countries across the globe.
The ongoing fleeing of Syrian refugees to several countries is a topic of great interest to students in the global program. Beginning in 2011, a series of anti-government demonstrations started in several Middle Eastern nations. This was the Arab Spring. The political unrest uprooted nearly 8 million, according to the United Nations, who counts refugees — a person who flees their country — and an internally displace person (IDP) — someone who is forcibly uprooted within his or her country without actually leaving — among that figure that are in need of humanitarian assistance.

Although countries such as Turkey, Pakistan, and Lebanon have been accepting as many refugees as possible, it is still not enough. The refugees need assistance from countries all around the globe, including America.
So, what can we do to help them? One way is to donate money to humanitarian organizations such as Mercy Corps (mercycorps.org) who has partnered up with the UN to provide food, shelter and clothing for those who have fled their countries.
By finding ways to help the refugees and IDPs, students are actively becoming involved in worldwide issues. Gaining more knowledge, a larger outlook and experience allows them to interact effectively in an increasingly globalized world.