[tweetthis]Sometimes, well make that often, I can hardly believe the civic-mindedness of my children.[/tweetthis] Sure, when I help them in my arms, I told them I wished for them a happy life, a life where they continued to be loved and respected, and where they cared about people more than money.

Then they grew, walked on their own, became strong-willed, struggled and succeeded in school, fell in love, went to college, experienced broken hearts and bruised bodies. They became someone new. Themselves. Someone separate from me. Someone beyond my imagination. I can tell you a bit about each one of them,and I often do, but this post is about Wrestler #2.

Remember when I wrote that he one of the finalists for Illinois Teacher of the Year? Probably not. That was two year ago.  Since that time, he’s been busy working and building connections to create a way that Illinois students build and then flaunt their Global Competency. “It’s not about me,” Wrestler #2 said. “So many people worked so hard to make this happen.”

I know, I know.  But a mom’s gotta do what a mom’s gotta do.

When we moved from a small farming community to the greater Chicago area, Wrestler #2 said to me, “You know,” back in Bad Axe, it seemed like we were at the top of the hill, and we could see everywhere. Then we moved here, and it’s like being at the top of the mountain. And, you just gotta know that there’s a higher mountain out there, where you can see even more.” Wrestler #2 was in eighth grade.

Now he’s working hard to help high school students reach to higher mountain tops, through The Global Scholar Certification.

 

In the not too distant past, cultural understanding was a niche skill needed for world travelers and diplomats. Today, cultivating a global character is valuable for virtually the entire workforce.[tweetthis] “Regardless of how people feel about the world’s increasing interconnectedness, students need to navigate it.”[/tweetthis] According to Brady. “One of the enduring goals of education is to prepare citizens for the challenges they will face.” Read more of what I wrote more about Global Scholar Certificate in the McHenry Chronicle.

The Global Scholar Certificate recognizes students  who demonstrate ‘global competence’ through their actions, skills, and knowledge. Individual school districts determine which courses have a significant global focus. Eligible courses include the Arts, World Languages, Social Studies, Communication Arts, Sciences, and CTE.

More than 150 people, from all walks of life, from rural and urban settings, pulled together to support [tweetthis]Support Illinois Global Scholar Legislation[/tweetthis] (HB 4983) (SB 2469). You can, too, by clicking this link: Support Global Scholar.

For additional information on Illinois Global Scholar visit www.IllinoisGlobalScholar.org, Like the Illinois Global Scholar on Facebook, or keep up with the legislation on Twitter by following @ILGlobalScholar.

The Global Scholar Certificate effort was also covered in the Daily Herald.