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OUR HISTORY

Founded in 1989, Global Kids ("GK") has been at the forefront of developing and implementing youth development and academic enrichment programs for over three decades. Today, Global Kids serves over ten thousand youth annually through our innovative school-based and after-school programming.   

Award-winning educator Carole Artigiani founded Global Kids in New York City in 1989 and served as its Executive Director until 2010. Carole’s vision was to create an ever-growing number of young people who educate and inspire their peers to take action on issues of concern, achieve personal and professional success, and are engaged citizens who are informed about world and domestic affairs. 

Global Kids’ programs are designed to address the urgent need for young people to develop the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to be successful in the world. Our successes are measured in the achievements of participants, at schools and universities, in their chosen careers, and in their commitment to remain engaged citizens of their communities and the larger world.  

Over the past 35 years, our impact has steadily expanded, culminating in the launch of the Global Kids in Washington, D.C. (GK-DC) in September 2010. This expansion followed an extensive strategic review funded by a grant from the Robin Hood Foundation and conducted in partnership with McKinsey & Co. Throughout its history, Global Kids has received national recognition for our exemplary practices in global education, experiential learning, and youth development.We have reached over 100,000 young people through both direct services and peer education activities. Our work often involves representing the views of youth globally at important gatherings focused on issues impacting the lives of our youth. None of this would have been possible without the collaborations with other organizations and the generous support of countless individuals, foundations, corporations, school districts, and local, state, and federal agencies who have supported Global Kids throughout our history.

Our success is also attributed to the dedication of our talented staff, which consists of experienced educators, counselors, administrators, and support personnel. In 2010, then-deputy director Evie Hantzopoulos, succeeded Carole Artigiani as Executive Director and played a crucial role in the organization’s growth until her tenure ended in 2021. Most recently, Global Kids was pleased to welcome its new Executive Director, Dominique Jones, in October 2021. With 25 years of experience in the nonprofit and public sectors, and recently named one of the Women Power 100 by City and State New York, Ms. Jones oversees a range of youth development programs that engage over ten thousand youth and educators across the five boroughs of New York City and DC. Prior to taking leadership at Global Kids, she spent more than six years running Boys & Girls Club of Harlem, where she led in the expansion of its programs in NYC public schools and the organization’s COVID-19 response.