How Does It Work?

The One World Academy is an eight-week, after-school program that prepares a select group of 75 students for the public showcasing of their work. Students transform their stellar argumentative essays, developed during One World’s in-school programming, into compelling oral presentations. Students learn to:

  • Present evidence to support their claim;
  • Organize their talking points in a logical manner;
  • Speak with eye contact, good posture, and confidence.

Volunteer mentors work with students individually and in small groups, helping them to overcome fears of speaking to large audiences. Students practice their presentations with their mentors and at home to prepare to speak in front of 300 community leaders, educators, and family members.

What's Included

Students meet with One World staff once a week after school for two hours at the UNCF building in downtown DC. Sessions include:

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Academy Session #1 - Orientation

Goals

  • Become familiar with the program’s goals, activities, schedule, and expectations
  • Review the components of an effective argument
  • Review their claim and revise it based on peer feedback

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Academy Session #2 - Building an Outline with “Points of Power” / Family Orientation

Goals

  • Study and practice how to use evidence to support a claim
  • Review and compile the key elements of the presentation by creating a ‘Points of Power’ outline

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Academy Session #3 - Building an Outline with “Points of Power” Continued

Goals

  • Study and practice how to use evidence to support a claim
  • Review and compile the key elements of the presentation by creating a ‘Points of Power’ outline

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Academy Session #4 - The Hook / Mentor Orientation

Goals

  • Identify the components of a strong hook
  • Draft potential hooks for their presentation

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Academy Session #5 - Organizing Ideas / Visual Design

Goals

  • Analyze the components of a quality presentation using the judges’ rubric (Stage)
  • Organize presentation with best flow of information using peer and mentor feedback (Stage)
  • Identify the qualities of good visual design for display boards (Boards)
  • Begin designing an outline for their own display boards (Boards)
  • Practice and revise their answers to judges’ questions based on peer and mentor feedback (Boards)

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Academy Session #6 - Pace & Projection / Creating Captions

Goals

  • Analyze the elements of effective pace and projection in a presentation (Stage)
  • Practice and apply techniques of pace & projection (Stage)
  • Analyze the elements of an effective caption (Board)
  • Receive feedback on their board elements (Board)
  • Practice and receive feedback on their answers to the judges’ questions (Board)

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Academy Session #7 - Posture & Poise / Creating an Effective Board Display

Goals

  • Analyze examples of effective posture and poise in a presentation (Stage)
  • Practice and receive feedback on posture and poise from peers and mentors (Stage)
  • Analyze the importance of a display board’s visual components (Board)
  • Begin creating their display boards (Board)
  • Practice and receive feedback on their answers to judges’ questions (Board)

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Academy Session #8 - Final Rehearsal

Goals

  • Practice presentations for feedback using the judges’ rubric
  • Practice answering judges’ questions and finalize their display boards

What's Happening

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