Celebrating 30 SWAC Chapters

Jun 3, 2019

Our 30th SWAC (Student World Affairs Council) Chapter is at Glenda Dawson High School!

Learn more about SWAC and explore the opportunities offered by our international education department below!

After reworking our student program and launching its new model last year, we are delighted to see its integration into new schools and districts in addition to many we have worked with in the past. In fact, SWACs can currently be found in 10 of Houston’s 14 Independent School Districts!

Our new SWAC model has made participation and international education accessible to all, whereas our past model relied heavily on students’ program attendance. We listened to our educators and worked to relieve the burden on them and students by providing lesson plans and resources that they can use to lead club meetings at their schools. While our programs are still attended by a growing number of students and bus scholarships are still provided to educators, student participation is no longer limited by a lack of resources or scheduling conflicts.

The Education Department’s mission is to shape the students of Greater Houston today into the global leaders of tomorrow.

SWAC
SWAC, or Student World Affairs Council, is our high school program that enables and empowers students to become informed global citizens in our increasingly interconnected world. We do this by working with both the students and their teachers through SWAC chapters, international programs, competitions, and professional and personal development opportunities.

>> Click HERE to learn more about how to create a SWAC chapter

SWAC Chapters
Currently, 30 high schools (listed at the bottom of this page) in Greater Houston have created Student World Affairs Council (SWAC) chapters at their schools! We provide them with materials for meetings that give them an understanding of international issues and the opportunity to discuss them. SWAC Chapters are also invited to attend programs, compete in Academic WorldQuest, apply for scholarships, and meet with global leaders.

>> Click HERE to view SWAC Monthly News and Discussion Modules

Programs
Throughout the year, the Council hosts internationally-focused programs with expert speakers for our general membership. These events take place around Houston and allow members and the public to get a deeper understanding of important issues and topics than the news can offer. While our programs are free or discounted for our membership, students involved in our SWAC program are able to access them for free. Our students have met an impressive variety of ambassadors, former intelligence officers, global business leaders, diplomats, and experts. In addition to the value of the program content, our students get to interact in a professional environment that usually isn’t accessible to youth. And they are great at it! They ask educated questions, dress in business attire or rock our SWAC polos, and make connections in the internationally-focused community in Houston!

Academic WorldQuest
Each year, 200+ Houston area students compete in an international trivia competition testing their knowledge on regions, geography, international coalitions, and news! The World Affairs Council of Greater Houston sponsors the local winning team to compete in the national competition in Washington, D.C. In 2019, the team that won the national competition was awarded an all-expenses-paid study tour of Qatar by the Qatar-America Institute.

Global Perspectives Educator Workshops
Educators throughout Greater Houston are invited to participate in these affordable and internationally-focused workshops that provide Professional Development Credit, Gifted and Talented Credit, access to topic experts, TEKS-aligned lesson plans, and resources. Typically, these workshops focus on a country or region to provide an in-depth understanding of the economic, political, and cultural issues that it faces. Past workshops include: Portrait of Bulgaria and Romania, Portrait of Colombia, Portrait of Francophone Canada, Global Heath, Art and Politics, and International Peace-building.

Meet Our New Education Manager →

Blog