Business viewpoint: Kids' World helps youths think globally
BY CATHRYN RENDER Business Viewspoint
Thursday, November 15, 2012
11/15/12 at 3:36 AM
Communities that offer their youth globally minded experiences have a greater return on educational investments over the long term than those who do not.
Tulsans do an above-average job in providing such culturally rich experiences. How do local residents do it?
Most of us know that young people tend to be more adaptable to change and more accepting of diverse cultures. All would agree that young people are eager learners and have an innate desire to explore their world.
Wise leaders, teachers and parents realize that "their world" is truly now "the world."
Helping youth gain early skills to evaluate and apply knowledge with a global sense, while being a powerful gift for the young person, is also a wise investment in an area for future success.
One such educational experience is the Tulsa Global Alliance's Kids' World International Festival, which runs Thursday through Saturday at the Exchange Center at Expo Square. It features nearly 60 of the many cultural organizations that help breathe life into Tulsa's rich social-cultural environment, a volunteer force of hundreds and a smorgasbord of cultural foods and performers - many of them young performers.
Overall, Kids' World presents a unique nationally acclaimed program to thousands of the area's young people, from 28 school districts, and their families.
Kids' World has strong corporate and philanthropic support from such sponsors as Williams Cos., T.D. Williamson, JPMorgan Chase, Spirit AeroSystems, and the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation.
These successful organizations understand the value of investing in the future and believe empowering our area's young minds to think globally is a prudent choice.
Perhaps they not only wish to help train a future workforce for the global marketplace in which they operate but also desire to ensure the goodwill of the community, state and nation through the cultural understanding and networking prowess of our future leaders.
Young minds tend to be full of hope and imagination, and, of course, the world is theirs to explore to fulfill their dreams. Those of us who invest wisely in them can only hope and imagine how great that return will be - for all.
KIDS' WORLD INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
What: More than 60 cultural booths, hands-on activities, entertainment and food
Where: Exchange Center at Expo Square
Hosted by: Tulsa Global Alliance
Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Cost: $4 children, $5 adults, plus special group rates
More information: 918-591-4750
Original Print Headline: Kids' World helps youths think globally
Cathryn Render is a volunteer board member of the Tulsa Global Alliance, where she serves as vice chair of development. She is a partner/owner of Tulsa-based RVA Market Research & Consulting.
The views expressed here are those of the author and not necessarily the Tulsa World. To inquire about writing a Business Viewpoint column, email a short outline of the article to Business Editor John Stancavage at john.stancavage@tulsaworld.com. The column should focus on a business trend; the outlook for the city, state or an industry; or a topic of interest in an area of the writer's expertise. Articles should not promote a business or be overly political in nature.
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