Reach the world
| 501c3 | |
| Industry | Education |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Founder | Heather Halstead and Marc Gustafson |
| Headquarters | New York City |
Key people | Heather Halstead, Director & Co-founder |
| Divisions | Kids and Schools, Technology, Travel |
| Website |
Reach the World (RTW) is a 501c3 organization based in New York City. RTW was founded by Heather Halstead and Marc Gustafson in 1997.[1] According to its website, RTW wants "to revolutionize the delivery of curriculum, enabling all classrooms, in all communities, to use interactive resources that bring the world’s environments and cultures vividly to life for students."[2]
Since its founding RTW has expanded into other US cities including Chicago. Today, RTW works with hundreds of classrooms around the country. In 2005, National Geographic Society called RTW "a model program in geography education, one of only six in the nation."[3] In New York City and Chicago, IL, RTW supports networks of severely under-funded elementary and middle schools. It provides classrooms in each of its partner schools with teacher training, staff support and technology consulting. Although RTW’s online journeys primarily serve students and teachers in our networks, any classroom can participate, using this website as a portal. The RTW website enables all teachers to use online journeys to provide students with rich opportunities to communicate, develop new skills, and learn about the world from travelers.[4]
Since 2009 RTW has a partnership with the Institute of International Education which enables Benjamin Gilman Scholarship students to work with RTW students while traveling abroad.