The benefits of afterschool programming have never been so convincing, yet despite strong investments, Washington, DC, suffers from chronically low afterschool program attendance. And among program offerings, fewer than 3% focus on literacy skills.

So why is One World’s afterschool writing program, the One World Academy, over-enrolled with an attendance rate above 90%? Why was this program recognized as one of the top-performing afterschool programs by the DC Mayor’s office in 2025? What makes it such a compelling program that students attend, return year after year, and have their friends join them? We don’t want to tell you why, we want to show you!

Please join us on Thursday, November 20th, for the second annual One World Community Night. At our program site in the UNCF College Knowledge Center, guests will observe our students in large and small group discussions and hear from teachers, school leaders, and parents. We look forward to seeing you there!

 

Join Us at the Fall Challenge!

See the Academy students present the results of their hard work at the Fall One World Challenge on December 15th, when they will deliver presentations addressing social justice issues in our city and beyond. Join us and be a part of celebrating their work!

  • Date: Monday, December 15
  • Time: 5:30pm-7:30pm
  • 1201 15th St NW Washington, DC 20005
  • RSVP

We would love to have you volunteer as a Challenge Judge! Volunteers score student presentations and give individualized feedback to students as they compete for scholarships. If you are interested, please email our Grants Manager, Hayleigh Santra. You will be inspired, make a difference, and have a great time!

Featured Student Writing


Janae Poindexter, an 8th-grader from Friendship Southeast PCS, writes about the often unhealthy conditions in foster care. She argues that the mental health of kids in foster care is important, but that support is lacking, with higher percentages of former foster children reporting homelessness and substance abuse, and foster parents dropping out after their first year. Therefore, therapy or counseling must be included in every foster care institute, giving foster care children a better chance at a good future. Read more.