All good things
Just need a
little  water
to grow...

The Academy for Global Citizenship is a unique Chicago Public Charter School, located on the underserved Southwest side of Chicago. Our innovative and holistic approach to education aims to foster systemic change and inspire the way society educates our future generations. We are producing a replicable model for learning in the 21st century, including the construction of a net-positive energy campus.

Scroll down to dig
into the roots of agc
...and with a
solid foundation,
life can sprout.

An AGC education extends beyond a solid academic foundation. Organic, nutritionally balanced meals provide mentally and physically strong building blocks, daily yoga centers the body and mind, gardening teaches about life and food, wellness instruction creates healthy habits, and ecologically sustainable-practices throughout the school encourage learners to develop sustainable lifestyles. Ultimately, the Academy for Global Citizenship engages the whole child in an enriching educational community that is focused on fostering academic excellence, international awareness and environmental stewardship.

Our roots:

Our mission is to empower students to positively impact the community and world beyond. In pursuit of this mission, AGC is committed to the following...



Serving the whole child


Modeling academic excellence


Developing inquiries


Cultivating international awareness


Fostering environmental stewardship


Community collaboration

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Why water us?

We are producing a replicable model for learning in the 21st century, through the construction of a net-positive energy school building. This model, built upon the integration of sustainable practices into the learning environment, acts as a "third teacher" for the students. It also serves as a prototype that will shift global communities towards a system of learning that educates our next generation to excel in a socio-economic environment that depends on the state of our planet.

We are the leaders of today and our children will be the environmental, social, and political stewards of tomorrow.

It is our responsibility to equip them with the advantages and opportunities afforded by unsurpassed education and the dream of unlimited potential.



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Next to Our Building>>
Introducing A
net-positive
energy building

Our net positive energy building will produce more energy through on-site renewable energy than it consumes.

This campus will serve as a replicable model for public schools around the country. This model school is already inspiring school designers across the country and drawing attention from news outlets like Fast Company and Arch Daily. Architect Magazine calls AGC's designs "the most architecturally ambitious [they've] seen in the U.S."

Image credit Studio Gang Architects




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sustainability strategy
How we
will change
the world

Living Building Challenge (LBC) is a transformative design program which envisions a future that is socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative. As an LBC inspired project, this campus will offer students the maximum experience and opportunity to change the future of the world in which we live.

Here are just a few ways we are using the LBC to help us change the world, beginning in our learning community:



a. Cost-Replicable

With replicability central to our vision, this campus was designed at a cost per square foot that is comparable to district school construction. Our model represents a more financially sustainable future for schools, as US schools spend more on utilities than on books and technology combined.

b. Renewable Energy

Using clean and renewable resources, this building harnesses the power of the sun, the heat of the earth and the strength of the wind to produce more energy than we will need to operate. Renewable energy sources also serve as demonstration tools for students and community members. These will help to push the project towards its net-positive energy goal and will realize the AGC value of "doing good".

c. Human Scale and Humane Places

LBC projects are designed to create human-scaled rather than automobile-scaled places. The AGC team explored the impacts of the design and development of the site while embracing the humanity of the entire community, working to make decisions that protect and restore the natural environment while also providing a civilized and humane place for all.

d. Urban Agriculture

Three acres of urban agriculture and a farm store cafe provide local and sustainable produce for a food-insecure community and will cultivate entrepreneurship through access to job training programs.

i. Water Use and Recycling

We have maximized water efficiency and reclamation Across our campus, through kitchen and bathroom fixtures, native landscaping, drip irrigation, rainwater harvesting, permeable paving, and more.

h. Embodied Carbon Footprint Offset

Our design team sought to minimize the carbon footprint during the construction process, and help to reduce the cost of the carbon offset throughout the lifespan of our building.

g. Biophilia

The AGC team sought to ensure the transformation of our human-nature relationship, promoting natural features, use of inspiring natural shapes and forms, and celebrating our natural processes and patterns.

f. On-site Water Collection

Water is collected on-site with roof structures and stored for building use in above ground and in-ground cisterns.

e. Educational and Inspirational Services

This building will function as a community resource and educational environment for all ages – students, families and community members alike. As a learning laboratory, the building will be open to the public for tours and educational discussions.






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