Purpose

Preparing the next generation of leaders, scholars, and decision-makers to thrive in a rapidly changing world – where our national interests are intertwined with the global community – is one of the greatest challenges facing our country. It requires a renewed enthusiasm for global studies in our high schools. Too many American students today fall behind their counterparts from other countries in their knowledge and understanding of world history, geography, and current international events.

The mission of Academic WorldQuest is to close the gap.

This year’s Academic WorldQuest Competition is March 28, 2020 at Elizabethtown College.

Registration Form HERE

   

Academic WorldQuest Competition Info:

The World Affairs Council of Harrisburg each year sponsors a local Academic WorldQuest competition, testing competitors’ knowledge of world affairs, geography, history, culture, countries, current events, and more.

What makes a team?

A team consists of 4 high school students.  Fees for teams:

One team: $30.00

Two teams: $50.00

Three teams: $60.00

How the competition works:

There will be 10 rounds. Each round will have 10 multiple choice questions. A prominent moderator will present these questions by PowerPoint. Teams then confer to reach a single answer. Each round is thematically different from the other rounds.

GUIDELINES FROM THE WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCILS OF AMERICA OFFICE:

AWQ Study Guide and Topics

The World Affairs Councils of America’s AWQ 2019-2020 Official Study Guide is the primary resource to help students and teachers prepare for the topics covered in the timed question-and-answer AWQ competitions hosted by local Councils. Councils may adapt these topics to align with their local programming initiatives.

AWQ 2019-20 Topics are:

2019-2020 AWQ Topics

• U.S.-Russia Relations
• Country in Focus: South Korea
• Preventing Extremism in Fragile States
• Oceans: The World’s Garbage Dump
• Great Decisions
  • Refugees and Global Migration
  • The Middle East: Regional Disorder
  • Nuclear Negotiations: Back to the Future?
  • The Rise of Populism in Europe
  • Decoding U.S.-China Trade
  • Cyber Conflict and Geopolitics
  • The United States and Mexico: Partnership Tested
  • State of the State Department and Diplomacy
• Brexit and the EU
• China’s Belt & Road Initiative
• Germany: 30 Years After the Fall of the Berlin Wall
• Qatar and the Future of the Gulf Cooperation Council
• Current Events

The AWQ Study Guide is also an essential resource for the Carlos and Malú Alvarez Academic WorldQuest National Competition, hosted by WACA every April in Washington, DC.

Winning teams are invited to represent their high school, city, and local Council at the national AWQ championship weekend, which includes the competition, unique programming planned to enhance the global education experience, and an opportunity to meet and engage with more than 200 like-minded peers from around the United States.