2023-2024 High School Membership

Why Join?  The World Affairs Council of Philadelphia is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to informing and engaging people of all ages on matters of national and international significance.  The Council’s education programs aim to:

• Expand students' knowledge of and engagement with global affairs topics such as world geography, cultures, economics, languages and international relations.

• Increase students' ability to understand and recognize emerging transnational issues from a range of perspectives;

• Help students develop the critical thinking, problem-solving and leadership skills, as well as confidence needed to succeed in a competitive global economy; and

• Enhance students' opportunities to work creatively and collaboratively across local and global borders.

Questions? Reach out to Geoffrey Quinn, Director of Education High School Programs, at gquinn@wacphila.org or 215-561-4700 ext. 207

Program Offerings

Signature Role-playing Simulation Programs

The Council is planning two large-scale simulations (role-playing) programs for the 2023-2024 academic year. 

This Fall, the World Affairs Council will run a Model Senate program with students taking leadership roles as senators, expert witnesses and journalists! This program will simulate the legislative, debate, and bargaining processes in the United States Senate. 

In the Spring of 2024, the Council's signature Global Economic Forum will return with students creating policy solutions to new threats emerging in the United States and the world.

Citizen Diplomat Academy

Citizen Diplomat Academy is a free, direct enrollment virtual high school exchange program open to students (ages 14-18).  In this cohort-based model, students from the Greater Philadelphia region meet in live sessions with students from around the world over the course of five weeks to become citizen diplomats. Together, they develop key skills including cultural fluency, conflict resolution, critical thinking, and more to increase their comfort, and effectiveness as future leaders in a globalized world.

World Affairs Club - Student Debate Series

World Affairs Clubs, in response to a timely debate prompt, will have access to the Council's Student Debate Series .  With debates, students are divided and assigned to one of two groups (affirmative or opposed) and hone their research, writing, strategic thinking, and public speaking skills by debating with their peers. The Council provides accompanying topic and group-specific resources for students to review prior to the debate.  

iThrive Sim Programming

The Council, in partnership with iThrive Games Foundation, offers iThrive Sim Programming: a series of innovative, virtual simulations that are facilitated through a web-based, device agnostic platform:

(1) "Lives in Balance" - Students serve as U.S. government officials who must decide when and how to re-open the economies of four Southwestern United States during a global pandemic 
(2) "Leading Through Crisis" - Students play as members of the Crisis Management Team, a group of cabinet-level executives tasked with responding to domestic and international incidents during a time of presidential transition.
(3) "Follow the Facts" - A media literacy simulation forcing students to parse competing information while informing the public of an ongoing crisis.