OUR vision:
experience.
Live It Learn It envisions a day when all learners are empowered and motivated to engage with the world.
our mission
Live It Learn It partners with schools and cultural institutions to create and deliver experiential learning opportunities for students in order to increase their self-efficacy, build on their intrinsic motivation, and support their scholarly achievements.
our impact
It all began with a DC Public School teacher who saw his students struggling and found a way to make a difference. Eighteen years later, we’ve worked with over 24,000 students in two dozen Title I schools and 24 partner destinations across Washington DC.
24,000+
students
The unique and rigorous academic programs we bring to students in DC’s Title I schools have been shown to have a dramatic impact on student achievement and motivation.
20+
DESTINATIONS
Through our partnerships with Washington DC’s treasured museums, historic landmarks, and environmental learning sites, we help students engage with their communities, city, and world.
18+
YEARS
Since our inaugural pontoon trip with 23 students down the Anacostia River in 2005, we have continued to bring the joy of experiential learning to students in DC’s underserved communities.
OUR curriculum
Live It Learn It offers a robust menu of 24 academic programs at some of the most interesting and important sites in the nation’s capital. We work closely with educators at our partner sites to develop rigorous and engaging activities that are interdisciplinary, age-appropriate, and aligned to Common Core standards.
history.
Students become historians and learn about the multi-faceted legacy of Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre, the challenges and triumphs of the Latinx community, and Civil Rights activists at the National Museum of African-American History and Culture.
science.
From birdwatching with the Anacostia Watershed Society to studying plant adaptations at the US Botanic Garden, students are able to explore various ecosystems and learn how to take care of the environment around them.
art.
Exploring the halls of world-renowned art institutions like the National Portrait Gallery and the Phillips Collection, students compare and contrast elements in artwork, examine how artists communicate, and self-reflect on their own identity through art.
culture.
Classes investigate the roles of spies as they adopt their own cover at the International Spy Museum and learn to think like storytellers as they hear classmates’ stories and create their own at Planet Word Museum.
“The Live It Learn It experience reminds us of the importance of learning outside of the classroom.”
— Teacher, Turner Elementary School
Get involved
There are several ways to get involved and become a part of the Live It Learn It team! Choose one or all of the options below to make a difference in the lives of DC students.
SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER
To stay up to date on current programming and various events, we encourage you to connect with us digitally.
PARTNER WITH US
Are you a DCPS Title I school interested in bringing experiential learning to your students? Are you a business owner looking for a way to support local students?
MAKE A DONATION
With your help, we will continue to provide high-quality, accessible, joyful learning to the students we serve.
Honored to be recognized by Spur Local (formerly the Catalogue for Philanthropy) as #OneoftheBest local nonprofits in Greater Washington!