Students at DCPS Title I schools rarely experience the enriching, out-of-classroom learning enjoyed by their more affluent peers. LILI believes this injustice contributes greatly to the disparate outcomes experienced by students of different racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. So LILI ignites student potential through field trips to DC’s historical, cultural, and natural resources. Students investigate the effects of plastic pollution along the Anacostia River, get inspired while exploring Frederick Douglass’s former home, and analyze the challenges of the Great Migration while contemplating the paintings of Jacob Lawrence. LILI provides materials, arranges transportation, and facilitates instruction, including both in the classroom and in the field. A professional development program builds teachers' capacity to lead experience-driven lessons in school as well. History, science, art, and culture come alive for over 2,100 children each year – and generate a priceless love of learning.

Headquarters: DC-Ward 6

Where They Operate: DC-Ward 1; DC-Ward 4; DC-Ward 5; DC-Ward 6; DC-Ward 7; DC-Ward 8; More than 60% of our students attend schools east of the Anacostia River.

Age Groups Served: Youth (5-11)

Population(s) Served: Low- to Moderate-Income Community Members; Students

Schools They Work In: SY17-18 school partners (DCPS):; Aiton ES (Ward 7); Barnard ES (Ward 4); Burroughs EC (Ward 5); Drew ES (Ward 7); Garfield ES (Ward 8); Hendley ES (Ward 8); Ketcham ES (Ward 8); Malcolm X ES (Ward 8); Orr ES (Ward 8); Patterson ES (Ward 8); Raymond EC (Ward 4); Savoy ES (Ward 8); Smothers ES (Ward 7); Tubman ES (Ward 1); Turner ES (Ward 8); Wilson (J.O.) ES (Ward 6)


  • Number of people (clients, patrons, students, etc) we serve annually:   2,100+
  • Percent of students whose first visit to a destination site is with Live It Learn It:   70%
  • Percent of students who demonstrate self-efficacy by indicating confidence in sharing newfound knowledge with a classmate after Live It Learn It:   94%
  • Average percentage growth for students from pre- to post-assessment:   150%

Awards & Recognition

2011 CharityWorks Partner
2011 Lehrman Impact Award
2010-2011 Catalogue for Philanthropy Charity
2007 Recipient of Catalogue for Philanthropy Award
2006-2007 Catalogue for Philanthropy Charity

Press

  • Experience is the Best Teacher
    Mon Mar 4 2013, Hill Rag  
    Since its inaugural pontoon trip down the Anacostia River with 23 students, the organization has expanded to encompass thirty different
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  • 5th Graders Plan For Inauguration
    Thu Dec 6 2012, WUSA 9  
    Planning for next month's presidential inauguration is in high gear. But on Thursday a group of 5th graders took over the planning for the
    connect here

  • Profile: Matthew Wheelock, founder of Live It Learn It
    Mon Oct 1 2012, The Washington Post  
    Wheelock's answer was to use the city as a classroom, anchoring lessons in the cultural and historic institutions that draw millions
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  • A Classroom Of Visiting Scholars
    Mon Dec 8 2008, Readers Digest  
    Please alert the media: Something that makes sense is happening in Washington, D.C. Public school kids surrounded by museums and monuments
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  • Learning by Going
    Thu Feb 21 2008  
    The Washington Post shadowed Live It Learn It during a pre-trip lesson and the subsequent trip to the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site for students from Turner Elementary School. The Post's article includes brief interviews with several Turner students and their classroom teacher, and gives a good sense of Live It Learn It's methodology and academic impact.
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Budget (FY2023)

  • $3 million or higher
  • The current budget for Live It Learn It is: $1 million to $3 million
  • $500k to $1 million
  • Less than $500k

Catalogue charities range in size from $100,000 to $3 million. This graphic indicates the budget range of the organization featured here. If you see an organizational budget above the $3 million mark, that is because the featured charity has grown in size since it first appeared in the Catalogue. We proudly present on our website the work of these "growth" charities.

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