Sarah Elizabeth Ippel

Founder and Executive Director of the Academy for Global Citizenship (AGC), a Chicago Public Elementary School on the city’s Southwest side, Sarah Elizabeth Ippel has dedicated her life to early childhood education.

Educated at Trinity College and the University of Cambridge, England, Sarah Elizabeth has traveled to 80 countries to examine educational philosophies and languages, and to create alliances that have contributed to the design and culture of the AGC. In addition to studying the application of the International Baccalaureate approach in various cultural contexts, she is committed to fostering implementation of The Growing Connection, a globally collaborative organic gardening initiative established to cross-culturally connect children and educators.

With a mission to empower children to become active global citizens by positively impacting their community and the world beyond, AGC is committed to environmental sustainability. The school has been internationally recognized for its green initiatives, including daily organic breakfast and lunch, a 5 kW solar installation, a schoolyard habitat and vegetable garden, rain barrels, composting, yoga, nutrition education, a faculty wellness program, walking school bus and sustainability curriculum.

During her five-year term as Vice President of Education on the governing board of the United Nations Association, Sarah Elizabeth fostered broader implementation of The Growing Connection, a globally collaborative organic gardening initiative established to cross-culturally connect children and educators. She has also served on the United States Green Building Council Green Schools Advocacy Committee for the Chicago Chapter, Chicago Public Schools Environmental Action Plan Taskforce, and the Steering Committee for Climate Cycle. Sarah Elizabeth’s additional leadership and civic contributions have included executive board memberships with Northwestern Memorial Hospital and the Art Institute of Chicago. In 2010, Sarah Elizabeth was recognized with Chicago Magazine’s Green Award and was selected as a United States Delegate to Terra Madre, where she met with representatives from over 60 nations to discuss the sustainability of our local and global food systems.