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

This program has helped me with writing, public speaking, and social skills. Before One World my public speaking was not so great. Now I'm willing to stand behind what I say.

Selena Guo
10th grade, DC International PCS
Nyla Thomas crop lg

I learned how to cite evidence from trustworthy websites and how to use it to support my claims. I also learned how to be confident when I am presenting and how to pace myself when I am speaking.

Nyla Thomas
7th grade, Capital City PCS
Taylor Terrell crop lg

Throughout my experience, I learned to never be afraid to speak out because I was the most shy person in my group.

Taylor Terrell
6th grade, Mary McLeod Bethune PCS
Ezinne Anyanwu crop

This experience is one of the most life changing experiences because…it showed me that it’s not a bad thing to be passionate about something you really love and be able to share it with other people.

Ezinne Anyanwu
10th grade, Benjamin Banneker HS

What's Happening

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In-School Program

The One World Program prepares teachers to lead students through every step of the writing process and draws out students’ innate potential and brilliance.

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One World Challenge

In what has become one of the city's premier education events, One World students present their work to more than 300 community leaders, educators and family members while competing for $10,000 in scholarships and academic prizes. 

Learn More