From Print to Planet: The CheckWorld Story

CheckWorld is an Educational Tourism Organization for Cultural Literacy. A vanguard in experiential heritage studies.

 

The Mission, Methodology, & Goal

We design and lead transformative cultural exchange missions for preteens and teens (ages 8–19). Through these partnership-driven global expeditions, participants dive firsthand into diverse heritages, cultures, and civilizations to build leadership, dismantle cultural divides, eradicate prejudice, and foster enduring peace.

 

History and Evolution

CheckWorld’s development has been a focused, linear evolution. The organization began with Check Magazine, a quarterly publication dedicated to educating teens and preteens about global cultures and ancient civilizations. This transitioned into SmartKid, a weekly cultural storytelling club, which further evolved in 2011 into Camp Check; an annual cultural camp hosting participants from various schools, kids’ clubs, and youth organizations for hands-on global awareness activities. The full evolution culminated in its current format on Monday, November 16, 2015, with the first expedition to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in South Korea. Since then, CheckWorld has designed more than 70 structured expeditions worldwide, providing hundreds of participants with the opportunity to become globally well-versed individuals.

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A Sovereign Mandate for Lasting Peace

Eradicating prejudice and tribalism requires a unified global mandate. Hence, CheckWorld operates on an institutional model built upon alliances. From sovereign palaces, paramount rulers, and traditional institutions to select corporate sponsors, academic bodies, as well as the family unit, this network enforces a critical investment: training the next generation to analyze world civilizations, peoples, cultures, and heritages as the definitive foundation for global understanding and enduring peace. 

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Organizational Structure

Founded in January 2008 by Artina Yaro West, CheckWorld is internationally aligned, operating under global educational travel, safety, and cultural heritage frameworks. As a hybrid professional entity dedicated to its cultural mission, the organization collaborates with this network as well as cultural connectors, anthropologists, and professional geographers to ensure the intellectual depth and cultural impact of every mission. This alignment ensures that all expeditions, base camp risk management protocols, and curriculum designs meet the highest global standard of youth mobility, safety, and heritage preservation.

 

Code of Conduct

CheckWorld practices ethical travel by minimizing the environmental footprint of its activities. 

 

“We respect the complexity of the world, its diverse civilizations, profound cultures, deep heritages, and the stories that define them; this actively guides how we engage with the hosts, custodians, and traditional institutions of the cultures we explore. By providing the next generation with the cultural literacy and analytical tools they need to understand civilizations beyond their own borders, we prepare them to evaluate our shared humanity: cultivating global citizens across peoples, civilizations, and cultures.”

 

— The CheckWorld Team