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Proposed 2026 Plan (all subject to change)

  1. Establish founding partners to develop a pilot program and competition for Fall 2026​

    • Archdiocese of Washington - Cardinal McElroy

    • Possible Universities

      • Catholic University​

      • Georgetown University

      • George Washington University

      • Howard University

      • Trinity Washington University

    • ​NFCYM​

  2. Obtain Fiscal Sponsorship for temporary 501c3 or Fiscal Sponsorship

  3. Develop a pilot program to test not only the students willingness to participate and compete but also the church and parishioners willingness to participate. The pilot program is proposed to be simple considering time and resources available and may consist of the following:

    • Curriculum Development: Teams study the encyclical using a modified Ascension Press's guide or something similar, with homework and weekly discussion sessions.

    • Competition: Students compete in three ways:

      • ​Present the encyclical's message to a partner parish, judged by parishioners

      • Answer FAQs and live questions from parishioners about the text

      • Create 15-second social media posts distilling a key insight from the encyclical

    • ​Practice: School representatives/chaplains leading teams through 8-10 weekly study and discussion sessions with team. Sessions would include the preparation and practice of ​the presentations and the creation of social media posts.

  4. Seek seed funding - explore the use of Drexel Project funds and other funding sources.

  5. Seeking to establish regional teams for competition - partners might have better ideas

    • Washington, D.C. (Team 1)

      • Parish - ​St. Matthews

      • University - George Washington University

    • Washington, D.C. (Team 2)

      • Parish - Holy Trinity

      • University - Georgetown University

    • Washington, D.C. (Team 3)

      • Parish - Basilica of the National Shrine

      • University - The Catholic University of America 

    • Washington, D.C. (Team 4)

      • Parish - St. Augustine

      • University - Howard University 

    • ​Washington, D.C. (Team 5)

      • ​Parish - Holy Redeemer

      • University - Trinity Washington University 

  6. Competition begins when school starts and completes the end of October.​

  7. Measure successes and impact to position the program for growth and additional funding.

  8. The program, partners, funding sources, 501c3 status, and future of the program will be evaluated and worked on throughout the pilot program.

  9. Possible Funding Sources:​

  10. First Robotics  is a great example of what is possible. Dean Kamen is a prolific inventor, entrepreneur, and tireless advocate for science and technology. After founding FIRST in 1989, Dean saw the immediate impact it had on kids from all backgrounds through its exciting sports model and ethos. Today, FIRST reaches more than 100 countries through its three programs for ages 5-18: FIRST® LEGO® League, FIRST® Tech Challenge, and FIRST® Robotics Competition. To expand the work of FIRST and its impact around the world, Dean created the FIRST with the focus on planting a seed in every country to make science and technology available to youth everywhere through Olympics-style competition. ​Instead of competing to build robots, RAISE-UP teams would compete to integrate the common good into every aspect of our lives — and in doing so, change the world.

Graphic that says AI Love Enough Pledge with a button to click to take the pledge that say "Take the Pledge".

RAISE-UP is in active development. We are seeking board members and founding partners to launch our 2026 pilot program. Contact us to learn more.

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This website is also under construction.

 

The purpose of RAISE-UP is to harness the transformative power of artificial intelligence to enable all people to flourish. We do this by empowering individuals and communities to make informed and challenging choices that will shape their futures.

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