CHICAGO, Ill., (Feb. 9, 2017) Yesterday, The Boeing Company and United Airlines hosted “Chicago Goes Global” to formally announce an unprecedented, cross-sector partnership to support Chicago Public School (CPS) students enrolled in the Global Glimpse program!

Boeing and United’s joint partnership commitment includes support for after school, civic engagement and youth leadership programming for CPS students enrolled in the Global Glimpse program at CPS partner schools: Kenwood Academy, Lindblom Math & Science Academy, Morgan Park High School, and Walter Payton College Prep. Boeing is sponsoring after school programming for 50 students, as well as training and professional development for 8 Chicago teachers leading the Global Glimpse program at CPS schools. United is sponsoring round trip airfare out of Chicago O’Hare International Airport for Chicago students and their teachers to participate in a 15-day international immersion experience abroad in Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, or Ecuador with Global Glimpse during the summer of 2017.

The powerful evening featured remarks from Mike Cassel, Director of Global Corporate Citizenship at Boeing, Sharon Grant, Vice President of Contact Centers at United Airlines, and Dr. Janice K. Jackson, Chief Education Officer at CPS. Teachers and administrators from the four CPS schools were presented with awards recognizing their outstanding service to the Chicago community and their commitment to become Global Citizen Schools.

Dr. Jackson challenged students to think big and dream big as they embark on their Global Glimpse journeys. While abroad, students will explore issues such as poverty, culture, aid and development, education, and global business. They will also provide English tutoring to locals and design a sustainable service learning project in partnership with a local community organization.

Following the presentation, students participated in breakout sessions focused on leadership and diversity, co-led by CPS teachers and Boeing and United employees. From pilots, to international business leaders, marketing professionals, and in-flight service operators, our students were exposed to a wide range of professions and professional mentors across various career fields.

“Global Glimpse is a once in a lifetime opportunity that will open your eyes to a completely different culture. It will leave a lasting impact on you for the rest of your life,” shared Sharon Grant, VP of Customer Contact Centers at United. She left students with a closing thought, quoting an African proverb, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

This summer, Global Glimpse will serve close to 1,000 students across the San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, New York, Western Massachusetts, and six national college preparatory organizations. Global Glimpse maintains a strong commitment to provide high school juniors from diverse backgrounds across the U.S. with the skills, confidence, and perspective needed to succeed in the 21st century global economy.

“Companies like Boeing and United are walking the walk to empower our young people to become the next global leaders,” shared Global Glimpse Executive Director Eliza Pesuit. “Their commitment to leverage corporate resources and employee experiences to support young people in Chicago to realize their full potential shows that they are truly champions for change.”