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In partnership with Audemars Piguet, Ashoka, and Teach For All
First Book, the largest online community of educators serving kids in need, and Ashoka, the largest global network of leading social entrepreneurs, launched Time for Change: Dream, Act, Change Our World, an initiative designed to further changemaking made possible by Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer, Audemars Piguet. The initiative kicked off with a First Book Accelerator resource for educators that introduced changemaking and suggested practical ways to inspire students to become changemakers for their schools and their communities.
Our world of accelerated change requires everyone, regardless of geography, race, or socio-economic background, to adapt to and create change for the common good. This initiative addresses the opportunity and resource gap that limits many young people from low-income communities from solving the problems they care about, building from their unique perspectives and lived experiences.
Time for Change: Dream, Act, Change Our World launched in the U.S. and has expanded internationally.
Congratulations to the winners of the Time for Change Youth Challenge! Discover their inspiring projects and explore other incredible ideas submitted by young changemakers. Stay tuned to see the impact they’re making in their communities!
Time for Change: Dream, Act, Change Our World is founded on the understanding that a world of accelerated change requires everyone, regardless of geography, race, or socio-economic background to adapt to and create change for the common good. The initiative addresses the opportunity and resource gap that limits many young people from low-income and historically excluded communities from solving the problems they care about.
“Our vision is a world in which all young people, particularly those from low-income and historically excluded communities, grow up with the support and resources to thrive as lifelong, dynamic changemakers, equipped to solve problems large and small in their families, communities, and beyond,” said Kyle Zimmer, President, CEO, Co-founder of First Book, and a Senior Ashoka Fellow. “Thanks to this partnership with Audemars Piguet and Ashoka, we can bring this vision to life.”
The initiative empowers young people to draw on their unique perspectives and lived experiences to address the issues that matter most to them. We do this by equipping educators with practical tools, engaging books, and step-by-step guidance to nurture changemaking in their students—while also highlighting powerful stories of young people driving positive change in their classrooms, communities, and beyond. At this time of tremendous change and opportunity, this effort will catalyze a movement to make changemaking the norm for all young people.
As part of an ongoing Time for Change initiative, First Book has created FREE resources that educators can use to help create a changemaking mindset in their students. A Guide for Inspiring Young Changemakers is a toolkit filled with lessons and activities and the Changemakers in Action resource is a video series that features stories from real student changemakers. First Book hopes these resources will help educators to explore their role in creating a generation of changemakers and students to begin their changemaking journeys.
Young changemakers from across the country share how they built sustainable solutions to problems in their communities. In response to educator feedback asking for real-life, relatable stories to inspire their students, First Book and Ashoka created a series of video journals featuring young changemakers who share their journeys to identify and build sustainable solutions to problems in their communities. Accompanying each video are helpful resources to assist educators with encouraging their students to start or continue changemaking journeys.
STAR School is a public charter school in Arizona, on the Navajo Nation. Sustainability is a core principle of the school and the facility is fully supported by wind turbines and solar.
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Isaac, 16, of Indiana is the founder of Students Teaching Finance, an initiative that equips high schoolers with the tools they need to bring financial instruction to K-8 students.
Watch now
A middle school for girls in Massachusetts is giving students the opportunity to ignite their passion for STEAM by connecting these subjects to real problems they care about.
Watch now
Changemaking is the idea that, in partnership with others, every person can apply creative solutions to address problems in their communities. Everyone has the power to be a changemaker — it doesn’t matter how old you are or where you live.
This resource provides concise and actionable information to help educators bring the power of changemaking to their students.
Educators will learn:
Time for Change: Dream, Act, Change our world is a long-term collaboration coinciding with Audemars Piguet’s partnership with Marvel, which debuted in the spring of 2021, paying tribute to the next generation of agents of change. Over the years, Audemars Piguet has supported a variety of non-profit organizations invested in promoting educational programs and initiatives for young people.
A unique version of the Royal Oak Concept “Black Panther” Flying Tourbillon timepiece was auctioned off to support the long-term educational program Audemars Piguet has established with First Book and Ashoka.
The company’s corporate social responsibility is overseen by the Audemars Piguet Foundation, which since 1992 has been contributing to the cause of worldwide forest conservation through environmental protection and youth awareness-raising programs.
I think a changemaker is someone who can go out into the community, find a problem, and figure out a way to creatively change it or figure out something that isn’t working well and to change it and create a new solution for it.Grace, Changemaker, IN
Ashoka knows that all young people can see a need, have a dream, build a team, and change their world. And that it is this experience that gives them the superpower to be givers — i.e., to have a good life. In a world now defined by change, not repetition, ethics requires that everyone have this, life-giving power to give, i.e., to be a changemaker.Bill Drayton, CEO | Ashoka
