Operation Day's Work - USA (ODW) is a national organization that is run by students. While ODW is relatively new to the United States, the organization has a proud history.
ODW creates a framework to expose students to the dynamic and diverse world around them while learning about the importance of volunteerism and community building. It empowers young people to show the world that they can be real leaders, and that a good idea can make a powerful difference in helping people improve their own lives.
Annually, ODW students select a developing country in which to fund a project related to education, for example, school construction or repair, school supplies and textbooks, scholarships and vocational training, and so on. Students across America then review and vote on project proposals in the selected country, deciding which activities would most effectively help their peers. In the spring, students and teachers at each ODW school organize activities to educate and enlist the help of their classmates, school administration, local leaders, and community.
Finally, students organize a work day to raise funds for the project they have helped select. Individual schools and students will choose what the work day will entail, from mowing lawns and working in factories or offices in the community, to getting sponsors for community service projects like cleaning a park. Proceeds earned by the students are donated to the development assistance project that the students have chosen.
Operation Day's Work can tie in to any subject, bringing it to life through real world problem solving. From social studies and geography to arts, literature, health and science, ODW brings a mission to learning and gives students an opportunity to help build useful curriculum.
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