The Nation Builders Program at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School challenges participants to apply what they learn in the classroom to influence their peers, government, and economy as agents of change. Our students collaborated with youth from various schools in Egypt, the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, and the Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports to design technologies that will help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The students collaborated virtually for six months developing prototypes for their ideas before presenting them in a pitch competition to American and Egyptian officials. 

 

The last phase of this year's program called for students to make presentations about their projects and their program to officials in Washington D.C. and Cairo, as well as private and nonprofit sector organizations like Microsoft, Alston & Bird Law Firm, the Carter Center, Wilkinson, Barker, Knauer Law Firm, the Women of AT&T, and the Technology Association of Georgia. The week of October 31st was an eventful week for these innovative students.  As a result of their diligent work, Microsoft Philanthropies, Women of AT&T, and Technology Association of Georgia have committed their resources to helping scale the program globally. The Carter Center's Chair, Jason Carter, committed to connecting the Nation Builders Program to organizations they collaborate with in other countries. Wilkinson, Barker, and Knauer Law Firm has committed to providing pro bono legal services to protect the intellectual property of the program participants as they develop ideas to help create a more sustainable world. Alston & Bird Law Firm is considering supporting the development of a pipeline program that will guide students to a legal career beginning in tenth grade.