Donate to MCGives! for AWQ

WACMB is thrilled to be selected again for the annual MC – Gives campaign supporting local nonprofits in Monterey County. Our BIG IDEA this year continues our Youth Education Initiative, the Academic world Quest (AWQ) Program, a National contest with a fun, fast-paced team competition for high school students that tests participant knowledge of current international politics, geography, global economics, history and cultures.

The AWQ Program is sponsored by the World Affairs Council of America (WACA), our parent organization in Washington, D.C..Funds raised for our Monterey County high school competition will provide both cash awards for the three highest placed teams and an all-expense paid trip for the winning team
of 4 students and their Coach to compete in the National competition in Washington D.C. next April. Last year’s local winning team Monterey High School will be looking to repeat their success against other County high Schools.

Monterey County Gives!, aka MCGives!, is a fundraising program for nonprofit organizations in Monterey County that is run by the Community Foundation for Monterey County, the Monterey County Weekly, and the Monterey Peninsula Foundation. Founded in 2009, MCGives! adds additional prorated funds to every dollar raised by a participating organization in support of its “Big Idea.”

What, you ask, is Academic WorldQuest? It’s the flagship youth education program of the World Affairs Councils of America (which is the umbrella organization for the more than 90 World Affairs Councils across the United States). Structured as a fun, fast-paced team competition for high school students, Academic WorldQuest tests players’ knowledge of current international politics, geography, global economics, history, and world cultures. The program fits nicely with WACMB’s longtime support for local students who are interested in international affairs. WACMB will use funds raised through MCGives! to sponsor Monterey County’s third annual Academic World Quest competition, which will be held in February 2024. We will also pay to send Monterey County’s winning team to Washington, DC, to compete in the national championships in April 2025.

How can you support this Big Idea through MCGives!? There are three easy ways to to donate to the World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay Area (WACMB) :

  1. By credit-card online.
  2. By check made payable to “Community Foundation of Monterey County (CFMC)”, indicating”to the benefit of the World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay Area (WACMB)”. mail checks to CFMC, attn. MC-Gives !, 2354 Garden Road, Monterey, CA 93940.
  3. By an IRA Qualified Charitable Donation (QCD). Process information is available on the website.

Don’t delay! The program runs from November 14 through December 31. Also remember: the more we donate, the more our donations will generate additional funds. So be generous!

Donate to MCGives! for AWQ

WACMB is thrilled to be selected again for the annual MC – Gives campaign supporting local nonprofits in Monterey County. Our BIG IDEA this year continues our Youth Education Initiative, the Academic world Quest (AWQ) Program, a National contest with a fun, fast-paced team competition for high school students that tests participant knowledge of current international politics, geography, global economics, history and cultures.

The AWQ Program is sponsored by the World Affairs Council of America (WACA), our parent organization in Washington, D.C..Funds raised for our Monterey County high school competition will provide both cash awards for the three highest placed teams and an all-expense paid trip for the winning team
of 4 students and their Coach to compete in the National competition in Washington D.C. next April. Last year’s local winning team Monterey High School will be looking to repeat their success against other County high Schools.

Congratulations to last year’s team who advanced to the Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2023 Academic WorldQuest National Competition

Monterey County Gives!, aka MCGives!, is a fundraising program for nonprofit organizations in Monterey County that is run by the Community Foundation for Monterey County, the Monterey County Weekly, and the Monterey Peninsula Foundation. Founded in 2009, MCGives! adds additional prorated funds to every dollar raised by a participating organization in support of its “Big Idea.”

Our “Big Idea” kicked off last year: WACMB brought Academic WorldQuest to Monterey County high schools. What, you ask, is Academic WorldQuest? It’s the flagship youth education program of the World Affairs Councils of America (which is the umbrella organization for the more than 90 World Affairs Councils across the United States). Structured as a fun, fast-paced team competition for high school students, Academic WorldQuest tests players’ knowledge of current international politics, geography, global economics, history, and world cultures. The program fits nicely with WACMB’s longtime support for local students who are interested in international affairs. WACMB will use funds raised through MCGives! to sponsor Monterey County’s second annual Academic World Quest competition, which will be held in February 2024. We will also pay to send Monterey County’s winning team to Washington, DC, to compete in the national championships in April 2024.

How can you support this Big Idea through MCGives!? There are three easy ways to to donate to the World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay Area (WACMB) :

  1. By credit-card online.
  2. By check made payable to “Community Foundation of Monterey County (CFMC)”, indicating”to the benefit of the World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay Area (WACMB)”. mail checks to CFMC, attn. MC-Gives !, 2354 Garden Road, Monterey, CA 93940.
  3. By an IRA Qualified Charitable Donation (QCD). Process information is available on the website.

Don’t delay! The program runs from November 9 through December 31. Also remember: the more we donate, the more our donations will generate additional funds. So be generous!

Donate to MCGives! for AWQ

Monterey County Gives!, aka MCGives!, is a fundraising program for nonprofit organizations in Monterey County that is run by the Community Foundation for Monterey County, the Monterey County Weekly, and the Monterey Peninsula Foundation. Founded in 2009, MCGives! adds additional prorated funds to every dollar raised by a participating organization in support of its “Big Idea.” Last year, WACMB raised more than $6000 through MCGives!

So what’s our Big Idea? It’s not just an idea any more: WACMB is bringing Academic WorldQuest to Monterey County high schools. What, you ask, is Academic WorldQuest? It’s the flagship youth education program of the World Affairs Councils of America (which is the umbrella organization for the more than 90 World Affairs Councils across the United States). Structured as a fun, fast-paced team competition for high school students, Academic WorldQuest tests players’ knowledge of current international politics, geography, global economics, history, and world cultures. The program fits nicely with WACMB’s longtime support for local students who are interested in international affairs. WACMB will use funds raised through MCGives! to sponsor Monterey County’s first annual Academic World Quest competition, which will be held in February 2023. We will also pay to send Monterey County’s winning team to Washington, DC, to compete in the national championships in April 2023.

How can you support this Big Idea through MCGives!? It’s easy! Beginning November 10, just go to the WACMB page on the Monterey County Gives! website and follow the directions there to make a donation online in support of WACMB’s sponsorship of Academic WorldQuest. If you’d rather send a check, make it payable to Community Foundation for Monterey County and write WACMB in the Memo line or on an attached note. (Please do NOT make your check out to WACMB.) Mail your check to CFMC, Attn. MCGives!, 2354 Garden Road, Monterey, CA, 93940.

Don’t delay! The program runs from November 10 through December 31. Also remember: the more we donate, the more our donations will generate additional funds. So be generous!

Join the World Affairs Council

When you join the World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay Area, you become part of an organization of thoughtful and engaged global citizens who seek to learn more about contemporary world affairs. You can see benefits provided to the public by the Council, and the additional benefits for members, on our web page at https://www.wacmb.org/membership/

Please join us at an upcoming event or discussion group and consider becoming a member of the Council or renewing your current membership.

Our Regards,

Judith Glickman, President of The World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay Area

Judith Glickman
President of The World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay Area

Academic World Quest

Calling all high-school teachers, parents, students…

Interested in providing a focus on International Affairs and having your students compete locally for prize money and a trip to Washington DC for a national competition?

The World Affairs Council of Monterey Bay will sponsor a countywide Academic World Quest (AWQ) competition during the 2024-25 academic year.

Each Monterey County high school is invited to send one team of four students to compete in the Monterey County AWQ competition on February 22, 2025. Each team must have one teacher as their coach. Each coach who brings a team of four to the local competition will receive a stipend of $325.

Students in the top three teams in Monterey County will receive the following awards:

  • Monetary awards for 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place teams
  • 1st place winning team gets sponsored by WACMB to compete in Washington, D.C.!

Click here for information about the national competition.

For more detailed information contact Norma Esparza at nesparza@montereycoe.org

Congratulations to the winners of the 2022 WACMB Teen Essay Contest!

Entrants were asked to write an essay about one of two topics in world affairs

What are your concerns for the future of our planet, and why?
What is the most important fundamental human right?

The WACMB Essay Committee chose five winners for 2022

Click on a student’s name to read that essay
See more information about the WACMB High School Essay Contests at the links below

Dr. Richard Haass on US Foreign Policy Amid Global Crisis

Dear WACMB Member,

As part of our growing cooperation with other World Affairs Councils throughout California, I am delighted to invite you to an All-California WAC online event: a talk by Dr. Richard Haass, President of the Council on Foreign Relations, on “US Foreign Policy Amid Global Crisis.”  For decades, Dr. Haass has been among the premier American observers of US foreign policy in an uncertain world, and with the unfolding events in Ukraine his insights are critical. The talk will be moderated by Col. Richard Downie, US Army (ret.), and takes place on March 29 at 11:00 am PST.

The event is free, but you must register at this link.

Our sister chapter in Los Angeles is handling the logistics for the event, including this sign-in page.  You will have the chance to note that you are affiliated with the Monterey chapter.

Please join me for this exciting California-wide online event!

Cheers,

Glenn Robinson

WACMB President