"I wish we could have Live It Learn It every day." Miketa T., 6th grader, Wheatley E.C.

Live It Learn It boosts student academic achievement and motivation through a combination of rigorous classroom lessons and academically focused trips to DC’s world-class museums, monuments, and other resources. Partnering closely with DC public school principals and teachers, as well as leaders at the city’s many resources, Live It Learn It delivers high-quality, high-impact programs that are interdisciplinary in nature and are tailored to DCPS’ academic learning standards.

How It Works

• Live It Learn It partners with Title I DC public schools to provide academic enrichment to their 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students.


• Over the course of the school year, students participate in three academic units, one in each of Live It Learn It’s three “Core Content” areas (History & Government, Science & Nature, Art & Culture).


• Select classes also participate in a “Pathways to Professions” program, which introduces students to careers made possible by a good education.


• Each Live It Learn It program includes three components: a pre-trip lesson to provide background knowledge; an academic trip to build upon concepts learned in the classroom; and a post-trip lesson to reinforce, assess, and extend prior learning.


• All Live It Learn It programs feature robust academic curricula that are tied to DC’s academic learning standards, are interdisciplinary in nature, and are designed to engage students with all learning styles.


• Live It Learn It handles logistics and transportation.

Live It Learn It measures academic impact by conducting pre- and post-assessments. Average student performance on these assessments soars from 28% before to 79% after each Live It Learn It program. 96% of students indicate that they want to learn more about topics studied with Live It Learn It, and teachers report significant impact on the academic motivation of students of all skill levels.