2026 Spring Academy and Challenge

Over 80 One World students have been hard at work since the beginning of February on their essays, stage presentations, and poster boards, all on social justice topics that matter to them. We have students at three afterschool academies now! At our partner UNCF’s headquarters downtown, we see students from schools across the city. And in Ward 8, we have a group of students at Friendship Southeast PCS and a group at Statesmen College Prep.

 

These students will come together in one culminating showcase on Friday, April 24th, to present their social justice research findings and solutions to their communities, competing for scholarships. Join us to see why the One World Challenge is one of the city’s preeminent education events!

 

See the Winners!

Challenge Event Program

Ariel Awe

Grade 6

Ariel Awe

Two Rivers PCS

Grade 6

Discrimination Against Women

Nathan Banks

Grade 7

Nathan Banks

Jefferson Academy

Grade 7

Homelessness

Jeremiah Barnes

Grade 6

Jeremiah Barnes

Statesmen College Preparatory Academy

Grade 6

Impact of Cyberbullying

 

Amanuel Belete

Grade 8

Amanuel Belete

Inspired Teaching PCS

Grade 8

Bullying Affects Student Learning

Jace Bridges

Grade 5

Jace Bridges

Statesmen College Preparatory Academy

Grade 5

Effects of Video Games on Mental Health

 

Brendan Brown

Grade 6

Brendan Brown

Statesmen College Preparatory Academy

Grade 6

False Imprisonment of Black Males in DC

Kaeden Burke

Grade 7

Kaeden Burke

Friendship Southeast PCS

Grade 7

Illegal Gun Modifications in DC

Kylee Byrd

Grade 6

Kylee Byrd

Creative Minds PCS

Grade 6

Gun Violence

Torrie Chavis

Grade 8

Torrie Chavis

Alice Deal Middle School

Grade 8

Aging Out of Foster Care

Kai Clemmons

Grade 5

Kai Clemmons

Inspired Teaching PCS

Grade 5

Mental Effects of Homelessness

Leo Clemmons

Grade 5

Leo Clemmons

Inspired Teaching PCS

Grade 5

The Price of Houses

Jordy Cruz Ortiz

Grade 6

Jordy Cruz Ortiz

Creative Minds PCS

Grade 6

Stress/Mental Health Due to Schools

Autumn Cuffey

Grade 7

Autumn Cuffey

Capital City PCS

Grade 7

Climate Change

 

John Davis

Grade 6

John Davis

Washington Latin 2nd Street PCS

Grade 6

Deaths Caused by ICE

 

Elizabeth Dawson

Grade 8

Elizabeth Dawson

Alice Deal Middle School

Grade 8

Drug Use in Native American Communities

 

Tyler Dawson

Grade 7

Tyler Dawson

Statesmen College Preparatory Academy

Grade 7

Historical Erasure of Black Students in Schools

Gabriel Edwards

Grade 6

Gabriel Edwards

Statesmen College Preparatory Academy

Grade 6

Oil Leaks and Sea Creatures

Tytan Ermias

Grade 8

Tytan Ermias

Inspired Teaching PCS

Grade 8

The Effects of International Conflict on DC

Breylin Fleming

Grade 7

Breylin Fleming

Statesmen College Preparatory Academy

Grade 7

Mass Incarceration of Black People in DC

Amir Ford

Grade 6

Amir Ford

Friendship Southeast PCS

Grade 6

Homework and Mental Health

Sire’Armani Fortune

Grade 6

Sire’Armani Fortune

Creative Minds PCS

Grade 6

Effects of Homework on Children

Amar Gibson

Grade 6

Amar Gibson

Statesmen College Preparatory Academy

Grade 6

Hazards of Littering on the Environment

Malachi Jackson

Grade 6

Malachi Jackson

Statesmen College Preparatory Academy

Grade 6

Police Brutality in DC

 

Davion Johnson

Grade 8

Davion Johnson

Friendship Southeast PCS

Grade 8

Energy Use at AI Data Centers

Zinnia Johnson

Grade 5

Zinnia Johnson

Washington Latin 2nd Street PCS

Grade 5

Climate Change

 

Flavien Jeremy Kamno

Grade 6

Flavien Jeremy Kamno

Creative Minds PCS

Grade 6

Equitable Access to Water

 

Afran Kasim

Grade 8

Afran Kasim

Inspired Teaching PCS

Grade 8

Healthcare and Low-Income Communities

 

Keyla Lloclle Pacco

Grade 7

Keyla Lloclle Pacco

Inspired Teaching PCS

Grade 7

AI Use in Schools

Angie Lopez Jorge

Grade 8

Angie Lopez Jorge

Capital City PCS

Grade 8

Mental Health

Jodie Malaysia Gray

Grade 6

Jodie Malaysia Gray

Creative Minds PCS

Grade 6

Trafficking

Sophia Martinez

Grade 8

Sophia Martinez

Capital City PCS

Grade 8

Violence in Schools in the DMV

Camila Meza-Henriquez

Grade 5

Camila Meza-Henriquez

Creative Minds PCS

Grade 5

Bullying

 

Kevin Meza-Henriquez

Grade 6

Kevin Meza-Henriquez

Creative Minds PCS

Grade 6

Drunk Driving

Biosah Mokwunye

Grade 6

Biosah Mokwunye

Washington Latin 2nd Street PCS

Grade 6

Price Incease of Sports Programs

Ikraam Nguo

Grade 8

Ikraam Nguo

Creative Minds PCS

Grade 8

Mental Health

Akuchi Ohiri

Grade 6

Akuchi Ohiri

Two Rivers PCS

Grade 6

Is ICE Good for Our Community?

 

Chibuike Ohiri

Grade 8

Chibuike Ohiri

Two Rivers PCS

Grade 8

Impact of Police and ICE Brutality

 

Jeremias Ortiz

Grade 6

Jeremias Ortiz

Creative Minds PCS

Grade 6

ICE Not Using Warrants

Nolan Oyedele

Grade 6

Nolan Oyedele

Washington Latin 2nd Street PCS

Grade 6

Gun Violence in DC

 

Ishmael Paige

Grade 7

Ishmael Paige

Statesmen College Preparatory Academy

Grade 7

Illegal ICE Searches in LA and Minnesota

 

Delmari Pettaway

Grade 6

Delmari Pettaway

Saint Francis Xavier

Grade 6

ICE is Causing Harm

RJ Rich Jr.

Grade 5

RJ Rich Jr.

Inspired Teaching PCS

Grade 5

Racist Cops

Da’Kahri Richardson

Grade 7

Da’Kahri Richardson

Friendship Southeast PCS

Grade 7

Government Accountability

Emilio Rosales-Flores

Grade 8

Emilio Rosales-Flores

Creative Minds PCS

Grade 8

Crimes in DC

 

Kaiden Rucker

Grade 5

Kaiden Rucker

Friendship Southeast PCS

Grade 5

Colorism

Hunter Seaton

Grade 7

Hunter Seaton

Statesmen College Preparatory Academy

Grade 7

Gun Violence in DC

 

Joel Simmons

Grade 6

Joel Simmons

Statesmen College Preparatory Academy

Grade 6

Banning Books in Schools

 

Jahid Simpkins

Grade 6

Jahid Simpkins

Statesmen College Preparatory Academy

Grade 6

Gun Violence in the US

Greg Smith

Grade 7

Greg Smith

Statesmen College Preparatory Academy

Grade 7

Effects of Social Media

Treasure Sodimu

Grade 6

Treasure Sodimu

Two Rivers PCS

Grade 6

Discrimination Against Black Girls in Schools

Tara Swaminathan

Grade 7

Tara Swaminathan

Alice Deal Middle School

Grade 7

ICE and Mental Health

Jacob Taye

Grade 5

Jacob Taye

Inspired Teaching PCS

Grade 5

Racial Comments and Slurs

Mario Tello

Grade 7

Mario Tello

Capital City PCS

Grade 7

ICE Affecting Neighborhoods

Oumer Temam

Grade 5

Oumer Temam

Inspired Teaching PCS

Grade 5

Littering

 

Greysen Totten

Grade 6

Greysen Totten

DC International PCS

Grade 6

Panhandling

Cruz Watts

Grade 6

Cruz Watts

Statesmen College Preparatory Academy

Grade 6

Plastic Pollution

Jonathan White Jr.

Grade 6

Jonathan White Jr.

Statesmen College Preparatory Academy

Grade 6

The Hazard of Water Fountains

Harlem Williams

Grade 6

Harlem Williams

Statesmen College Preparatory Academy

Grade 6

Racism Towards Biracial People

 

Quintus Williams

Grade 8

Quintus Williams

Friendship Southeast PCS

Grade 8

HBCU Access to Housing/Funding

Amir Wood

Grade 6

Amir Wood

Statesmen College Preparatory Academy

Grade 6

Bullying Children with Disabilities

 

Saint Youngblood

Grade 7

Saint Youngblood

Statesmen College Preparatory Academy

Grade 7

Sports in Schools

Bobby Cavanagh

Mentor

Bobby Cavanagh

Benjamin Banneker High School

Grade 9

Homework Mentor

 

Simone Eddings

Mentor

Simone Eddings

Elizabeth Seton High School

Grade 9

Homework Mentor

Isabella Gonzalez-Amaya

Mentor

Isabella Gonzalez-Amaya

Washington Latin PCS

Grade 12

Writing Mentor

Hatcher Pitts

Mentor

Hatcher Pitts

School Without Walls

Grade 10

Administrative Mentor

 

Alexis Ukaegbu

Mentor

Alexis Ukaegbu

School Without Walls

Grade 9

Administrative Mentor

Laila Ukaegbu

Mentor

Laila Ukaegbu

School Without Walls

Grade 9

Writing Mentor