Author: Megan Johnson

Global Academic Fellows

Posted on by Megan Johnson

Know an educator? Global Academic Fellows is based in local public and private schools, as well as youth-oriented organizations, these experienced educators engage their student bodies to further their international learning through established sister city programs.

The Global Fellow should have the ability to access all the youth and educators in the school, a sincere interest in promoting and creating international opportunities for youth and educators, and a commitment to attend two group meetings per year which includes the dinner and orientation meeting scheduled for Monday, September 28, 2026.

How do we submit the name of the educator for our school as the Global Academic Fellow? Click “Find Out More” to view more info!

RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DUE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15!

Global Academic Fellows will be invited to an orientation dinner and reception with heavy appetizers will be served.

Find out more

2026-09-03 01:03

Global Academic Fellows

Know an educator? Global Academic Fellows is based in local public and private schools, as well as youth-oriented organizations, these experienced educators engage their student bodies to further their international learning through established sister city programs.

The Global Fellow should have the ability to access all the youth and educators in the school, a sincere interest in promoting and creating international opportunities for youth and educators, and a commitment to attend two group meetings per year which includes the dinner and orientation meeting scheduled for Monday, September 28, 2026.

How do we submit the name of the educator for our school as the Global Academic Fellow? Click “Find Out More” to view more info!

RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DUE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15!

Global Academic Fellows will be invited to an orientation dinner and reception with heavy appetizers will be served.

Find out more

2026 Global Leaders in Action

Posted on by Megan Johnson

This summer marked the third year of Global Leaders in Action (GLA), a program designed to inspire students to become active global citizens and future community leaders. GLA strengthens connections between Fort Worth and its sister cities through student-led initiatives and helps students build cross-cultural communication skills.

The 2026 Global Leaders in Action program brought together student delegations from Eswatini, China, Japan, and Fort Worth for two weeks of leadership development and global bonding.

During the first week of GLA, students stayed in dorms at the University of Texas at Arlington. At UTA, they participated in an interactive curriculum focused on leadership, communication, and global perspectives. Students were challenged to ask difficult questions, consider different viewpoints, and explore what it means to be a leader in an increasingly interconnected world. Delegations had the opportunity to share their culture through group presentations, traditional dances, and songs.

During the second week, students visited community partners engaging with the topics of Whole Health, Civic Engagement & Advocacy, and AI & Technology. Each delegation prepared a project plan of actionable steps to take in their community to address an issue related to one of the three topics. Students showcased their ideas on poster boards and presented their projects at the Closing Ceremony on July 26.

Students leave GLA not only with new knowledge and leadership skills, but also with a deeper understanding of their role as global citizens and the power they have to make a difference in their communities. We are incredibly proud of how these students challenged themselves to grow and form friendships that will last a lifetime!

Thank you to our incredible facilitators, host families, and community partners for making the 2026 Global Leaders in Action program possible.

Community Partners
  • University of Texas at Arlington
  • Group Dynamix
  • Carlo Capua, Rainwater Charitable Foundation
  • Take this Down Podcast, Ty Stimpson
  • UTA Research Institute (UTARI)
  • Texas Wesleyan University
  • City Hall
  • Kimbell Art Museum
  • UNT Health Science Center
  • Texas Christian University
  • Tarleton State Fort Worth
  • Andretti Indoor Karting & Games
  • DJ Perera and Nick Bontrager
  • Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
Facilitators
  • Alexis Gross
  • Courtney Upp
  • Dheyaa AIJumaili
  • Gage Kellam
  • Greg Gross
  • Harith Abdulrahman
  • James Cornell
  • Jim Sangsvang
  • Julie Almanza
  • Kiaya Johnson
  • Preston Jezek

2026-09-02 01:30

2026 Global Leaders in Action

This summer marked the third year of Global Leaders in Action (GLA), a program designed to inspire students to become active global citizens and future community leaders. GLA strengthens connections between Fort Worth and its sister cities through student-led initiatives and helps students build cross-cultural communication skills.

The 2026 Global Leaders in Action program brought together student delegations from Eswatini, China, Japan, and Fort Worth for two weeks of leadership development and global bonding.

During the first week of GLA, students stayed in dorms at the University of Texas at Arlington. At UTA, they participated in an interactive curriculum focused on leadership, communication, and global perspectives. Students were challenged to ask difficult questions, consider different viewpoints, and explore what it means to be a leader in an increasingly interconnected world. Delegations had the opportunity to share their culture through group presentations, traditional dances, and songs.

During the second week, students visited community partners engaging with the topics of Whole Health, Civic Engagement & Advocacy, and AI & Technology. Each delegation prepared a project plan of actionable steps to take in their community to address an issue related to one of the three topics. Students showcased their ideas on poster boards and presented their projects at the Closing Ceremony on July 26.

Students leave GLA not only with new knowledge and leadership skills, but also with a deeper understanding of their role as global citizens and the power they have to make a difference in their communities. We are incredibly proud of how these students challenged themselves to grow and form friendships that will last a lifetime!

Thank you to our incredible facilitators, host families, and community partners for making the 2026 Global Leaders in Action program possible.

Community Partners
  • University of Texas at Arlington
  • Group Dynamix
  • Carlo Capua, Rainwater Charitable Foundation
  • Take this Down Podcast, Ty Stimpson
  • UTA Research Institute (UTARI)
  • Texas Wesleyan University
  • City Hall
  • Kimbell Art Museum
  • UNT Health Science Center
  • Texas Christian University
  • Tarleton State Fort Worth
  • Andretti Indoor Karting & Games
  • DJ Perera and Nick Bontrager
  • Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
Facilitators
  • Alexis Gross
  • Courtney Upp
  • Dheyaa AIJumaili
  • Gage Kellam
  • Greg Gross
  • Harith Abdulrahman
  • James Cornell
  • Jim Sangsvang
  • Julie Almanza
  • Kiaya Johnson
  • Preston Jezek

Thank you to our Summer Facilitators and Interns

Posted on by Megan Johnson

As summer is wrapping up, we would like to give a huge thank you to our facilitators and interns. Our summer programming would not be possible without all their hard work and dedication.

  • Alexis Gross, GLA Facilitator
  • Courtney Upp, GLA Facilitator
  • Dheyaa Al Jumaili, GLA Facilitator
  • Gage Kellam, GLA Facilitator
  • Greg Gross, GLA Facilitator
  • Harith Abdulrahman, GLA Facilitator
  • James Cornell, GLA Facilitator and International Program Coordinator Intern
  • Jim Sangsvang, GLA Facilitator
  • Julie Almanza, GLA Facilitator
  • Kiaya Johnson, GLA Facilitator
  • Preston Jezek, GLA Facilitator
  • Gabby Price, International Program Coordinator Intern
  • Oliva Reichard, International Program Coordinator Intern
  • Niina Havia, Dual Language Program Coordinator Intern

Thank you again!

2026-08-04 02:50

Thank you to our Summer Facilitators and Interns

As summer is wrapping up, we would like to give a huge thank you to our facilitators and interns. Our summer programming would not be possible without all their hard work and dedication.

  • Alexis Gross, GLA Facilitator
  • Courtney Upp, GLA Facilitator
  • Dheyaa Al Jumaili, GLA Facilitator
  • Gage Kellam, GLA Facilitator
  • Greg Gross, GLA Facilitator
  • Harith Abdulrahman, GLA Facilitator
  • James Cornell, GLA Facilitator and International Program Coordinator Intern
  • Jim Sangsvang, GLA Facilitator
  • Julie Almanza, GLA Facilitator
  • Kiaya Johnson, GLA Facilitator
  • Preston Jezek, GLA Facilitator
  • Gabby Price, International Program Coordinator Intern
  • Oliva Reichard, International Program Coordinator Intern
  • Niina Havia, Dual Language Program Coordinator Intern

Thank you again!

2026 Dual Language Enrichment Camp

Posted on by Megan Johnson

We were thrilled to welcome university students from Toluca, Mexico’s Monterrey Institute of Technology again this year to serve as facilitators for the Dual Language Enrichment Camp at South Hi Mount Elementary!

The Dual Language Enrichment Program is designed to provide students with an immersive learning experience to sharpen their language skills. University students taught alongside Fort Worth ISD teachers from June 15th to June 30th. The K-5 dual language students learned more than Spanish and English; they built meaningful connections and experienced firsthand what it means to be a global citizen.

While in Fort Worth, the Toluca delegation also had the opportunity to explore and give back to the community. They visited the Historic Stockyards, Kimbell Art Museum, Amon Carter Museum, and Dickies Arena, and participated in community service projects at the Tarrant Area Food Bank, the Welman Project, and the Diamond Hill Community Center. They also joined the community in celebrating Mexico through the FIFA watch parties at La Gran Plaza.

The program concluded with a closing ceremony on June 30 at South Hi Mount Elementary, celebrating the students’ achievements, growth, and remarkable progress throughout their three-week immersive experience.

A heartfelt thank you to our partners across Fort Worth for welcoming this incredible delegation! And a huge thank you to our host families for opening their homes and sharing Fort Worth culture with our guests!

We are incredibly thankful for this delegation’s hard work and dedication. Your enthusiasm and dedication have inspired our Fort Worth students and teachers alike, leaving a lasting impact on everyone who had the opportunity to learn alongside you. ¡Te extrañaremos!

2026-07-30 01:35

2026 Dual Language Enrichment Camp

We were thrilled to welcome university students from Toluca, Mexico’s Monterrey Institute of Technology again this year to serve as facilitators for the Dual Language Enrichment Camp at South Hi Mount Elementary!

The Dual Language Enrichment Program is designed to provide students with an immersive learning experience to sharpen their language skills. University students taught alongside Fort Worth ISD teachers from June 15th to June 30th. The K-5 dual language students learned more than Spanish and English; they built meaningful connections and experienced firsthand what it means to be a global citizen.

While in Fort Worth, the Toluca delegation also had the opportunity to explore and give back to the community. They visited the Historic Stockyards, Kimbell Art Museum, Amon Carter Museum, and Dickies Arena, and participated in community service projects at the Tarrant Area Food Bank, the Welman Project, and the Diamond Hill Community Center. They also joined the community in celebrating Mexico through the FIFA watch parties at La Gran Plaza.

The program concluded with a closing ceremony on June 30 at South Hi Mount Elementary, celebrating the students’ achievements, growth, and remarkable progress throughout their three-week immersive experience.

A heartfelt thank you to our partners across Fort Worth for welcoming this incredible delegation! And a huge thank you to our host families for opening their homes and sharing Fort Worth culture with our guests!

We are incredibly thankful for this delegation’s hard work and dedication. Your enthusiasm and dedication have inspired our Fort Worth students and teachers alike, leaving a lasting impact on everyone who had the opportunity to learn alongside you. ¡Te extrañaremos!