MILWAUKEE (April 9, 2019) — Milwaukee Public Schools hosted its third annual World Fair at the UWM Panther Arena on Thursday. More than 2,500 students set up projects showcasing their solutions to world problems and performed traditional dances and songs. The fair was part of the United Nations Schools of International Learning (UNSIL) program. Classes have been working all year on their projects. The public is welcome to attend.
Now implemented in 13 schools across the district, UNSIL began with nine schools in 2016-2017. Schools were hand-selected for their student populations, which serve students from diverse backgrounds, including students of different nationalities, languages and cultures. Students at these 13 schools speak 35 different languages.
UNSIL curriculum per grade: 4th – Country research, 5th – Technology project on the organs and committees of the UN, 6th – Global sustainability goals position paper, 7th – Public service announcements on the UN Agencies and priority goals and 8th – Service learning project.
The UNSIL curriculum is currently implemented at thirteen Milwaukee Public Schools: Academy of Accelerated Learning, Bethune Academy, Burbank School, Garland School, Humboldt Park School, Milwaukee Academy of Chinese Language, Parkview School, Milwaukee German Immersion, Story School, Gilbert Stuart School, Victory Italian Immersion School, U.S. Grant School, and Zablocki School. MPS expanded programming this year to include 4th through 8th grade students. In prior years, the UNSIL program was offered in grades 4 through 7.
This initiative, designed to promote cultural awareness and develop skills needed in a global setting, is made possible by sponsorship from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, the MPS Foundation, and a generous private donor.