Reach The World and SAS partner to bring global experiences to K-12 classrooms

Semester at Sea and Reach The World are partnering to introduce the world to U.S. classrooms beginning this fall. 

Founded in 1998, Reach the World recruits and trains U.S. travelers around the world to share their abroad experiences through virtual exchanges with American classrooms and students. Beginning with the Fall 2026 voyage, that will include Semester at Sea students. 

Selected Semester at Sea students become a trusted global role model for an individually-matched K-12 classroom, writing custom articles that support the classroom’s learning goals and connecting with them regularly from the ship or while in the country via Zoom. 

“Reach the World was born on a sailboat in 1997,” said Heather Halstead, Reach the World’s Founder and Executive Director. “I used one of the first satellite email transmitters ever deployed at sea to connect students in classrooms with my journey around the world. Today, we’re proud to partner with Semester at Sea and bring that same spirit of discovery to a new generation. As students explore the globe, they’ll share their experiences with K-12 classrooms nationwide, inspiring curiosity, connection, and a lifelong passion for learning.”

“This partnership extends our mission by allowing our students to not only reflect on their experiences, but to share them,” said Laura Strohminger, Chief Program Officer for Semester at Sea. “Since we visit 10 countries across three to four continents each semester, these students will get an almost unmatched exposure to the world – just as our students do.”     

Reach the World’s mission is to make the life-changing benefits of global travel accessible to all students, inspiring the next generation of curious, confident, and compassionate global citizens. 

Fall 2026 voyagers can apply for Reach The World’s Travelers Program through July 31. Spring 2027 voyagers will be invited to apply later this year.