Difference Makers
Our 2019-2020 topic is Kids for Kids
We hold three events each year focused around our theme. Each event brings guests to campus who highlight a different aspect of our theme for the year. Our first guests scheduled this year are two high school students who founded the non-profit Soles 4 Good, an organization providing micro-loans and business education for the Talibé boys in the developing nation of Senegal.
Past Events
List of 4 news stories.
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2018-2019 Theme - Adressing Homelessness
Three guests this year, addressed the issue of homelessness.Read More -
Addressing Homelessness with Food on Foot
Read MoreOn Monday, we wrapped up this year’s Difference Makers series on the topic of, “Addressing Homelessness,” by welcoming a team from Food on Foot. -
Difference Makers at Hope of the Valley
The focus this year in our Difference Makers Series is Addressing Homelessness. In this second event in our series, we heard from Jonathan Leeper of Hope of The Valley Rescue Mission.Read More -
Addressing Homelessness - An Overview
Read MoreThis year the topic of the Difference Makers Series is Addressing Homelessness. As we all know, there are many people who currently are living without homes. This past Monday, we learned more about who those people are, how they came to find themselves homeless, and some of what is being done to help them. We welcomed three very special guests for a look at homelessness in Los Angeles.
2017-2018 Difference Makers Guests
List of 2 news stories.
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Bobcats Contribute to Tree People
Read MoreCongratulations Bobcats! Primary and Intermediate Student Council raised $347 to donate to Tree People for the purpose of planting trees in LA County to help their reforestation process, reduce pollution in the area, and increase beautification of our communities. We have some remaining books that will be donated to low-income communities to share the gift of reading.Thank you Student Council and everyone who contributed to the success of the Primary/Intermediate Yard and Bake Sale. -
Difference Makers Trash Free Lunch Challenge
Our first Difference Makers Speaker this year was with Allie Bussjaeger from Grades of Green to introduce Berkeley Hall to the Trash Free Lunch Challenge.Read More
2016-2017 Difference Makers Guests
List of 3 news stories.
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Co-Founders of The 5 Gyres Institute on Conversations with Lisa Taylor
These difference makers have always loved our planet and for eight years have relentlessly pursued a world free of plastic pollution - particularly in our oceans. Anna Cummins, along with co-founder Dr. Marcus Eriksen, founded The 5 Gyres Institute to research plastic pollution and engage communities in systemic change.Read More -
Difference Maker Robert Egger of The L.A. Kitchen
Read MoreAs Founder and President of The L.A. Kitchen, Mr. Egger’s life for the last 30 years has been all about reducing waste and improving lives. He will speak to our community on Thursday, October 13, at 2:10pm, at the Uhlmann Performing Arts Center in Hodges Theater. All are welcome! -
Difference Maker Robert Egger of The L.A. Kitchen
At our first Difference Makers Series event of the school year, we welcomed Robert Egger, Founder and President of The L.A. Kitchen. Mr. Egger’s life for the last 30 years has been all about reducing waste and improving lives.Read More
2015-2016 Difference Makers Guests
List of 5 news stories.
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"You Are Loved" Mural at BHS
Read MoreDifference Maker Alex Cook is an artist in the truest sense of the word. His art speaks the truth, whether through paint or music, Alex expresses what he feels with honesty and courage. He's recently focused his artistic expression on painting murals - You Are Loved murals, though he also has five spiritual music CDs to his credit. -
Difference Maker Ellie Laks of The Gentle Barn
Read MoreDifference Maker Ellie Laks, Founder of the Gentle Barn, visited Berkeley Hall School for a presentation to our community as part of our Difference Makers Series. -
Difference Maker Matt Murrie of "What If?... 360°"
This week included the first presentation of our Difference Makers Series. Thursday’s workshops with Matt Murrie in grades 1-8 truly highlighted all the lessons our students learned from Sydney Brouillard-Coyle's talk about not being our afraid to get involved and “get our boots dirty."Read More -
Difference Maker Sydney Brouillard-Coyle
She gets her boots dirty. She has since she was six. 15-year-old Difference Maker Sydney Brouillard-Coyle told a packed Hodges audience about her passion for change and what she's doing to make it happen.Read More
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Difference Makers of The Thirst Project
Read MoreIn his talk, Seth explained that when he learned that nearly one billion people around the world don't have access to clean drinking water, he founded the Thirst Project to fix the problem.
2014-2015 Difference Makers Guests
List of 1 news stories.
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Growth Mindset with Dr. David Yeager
If you didn't have a chance to be with us for the David Yeager talk, please consider taking a few minutes to check out the video.Read More
Difference Makers at BHS
List of 6 news stories.
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Difference Makers Series: David Heredia
The Difference Makers Series introduces our community to people making a difference and addressing the pressing issues of our time. Our intention is to inspire our students, and all of us, to live lives of purpose, meaning, service, and accomplishment - to be Difference Makers. This year's DMS theme is Diversity, Equity, Inclusion. Our first DMS event of the year brought to our community an inspiring children's author and artist, David Heredia. He joined our community on Zoom to present separately to both a younger and an older audience of students and talk about his book, Little Heroes of Color.Read More
In this DMS event, Mr. Heredia shared his vibrant experiences and provided actionable tips for having conversations about race and combating racism. This DMS assembly included guessing games and word-scramble challenges, and an opportunity for K-3 students to win their own picture book, a copy of Little Heroes of Color. The winners of this game were:- Josie and Cora S.
- Campbell P.
- Max D.
- Valentina L.
- Emily J.
- Trinity N.
- Hannah O.
- Kingston W.
- Leo M.
Book winners can arrange to pick up books at the Front Office by calling Mrs. Moniak at the front desk, X200, or wait until our next pick-up/drop-off day.
David Heredia is an award-winning animator, author, and entrepreneur. His company Heroes of Color LLC has been featured in the New York Times, NPR, Spectrum News, and PBS Online. His long-term commitment to educating through art has led to the creation of his book Little Heroes of Color (Scholastic, 2019), and a series of virtual workshops celebrating trailblazers of color. -
Difference Maker BHS Alum Merritt More
Read MoreOur third and final Difference Makers Series event of the year was spearheaded by our JH Student Council. In preparation, they researched and chose the guest, formulated questions, and practiced interviewing and vocal technique along with on-camera presentation. Their guest is former BHS student Merritt Moore, acclaimed astro-physicist and professional ballerina. Please enjoy the professionalism of our JH Student Council as they talk with BHS alum Merritt Moore in this Difference Makers Series presentation. -
Difference Makers Series
Read MoreLast year’s Early Kindergarten students learned that balloons are one of the top 3 polluters of our oceans. In an effort to save our oceans, they each signed a pledge with their parents to use “Bubbles NOT balloons!” Their activism caused BHS events (like Graduation and Spring Fling) to use bubbles instead of balloons. The EK students told us their story at a Difference Makers assembly where we were so pleased to highlight our very own, very young Difference Makers.Our second Difference Maker presenter was special guest, 17-year-old Wyatt Workman. When Workman was 8 years old, he heard of the astonishing pollution levels in our oceans and decided to make a change through art. By creating and selling clay sculptures, Workman was able to donate money to the nonprofit ocean conservation organization, Oceana. He also made a claymation movie and then a book called Save the Sea from the Trash Monster! which he read to our ECD students after the assembly. Thank you, Wyatt, for being a Difference Maker and for inspiring our students to do the same! -
BHS Difference Maker Treats Kids to Movie
Berkeley Hall sixth grader Jai heard on NPR how underprivileged kids were being treated to see Marvel’s new action/adventure movie, Black Panther. He sold some of his DCR crypto currency and hosted more than a dozen of Charmaney Bayton’s kids (along with adults) to see the movie.Read More -
1st BHS Beach Cleanup a Success!
On Sunday, March 13th, many BHS families met up just north of the Santa Monica Pier and spent a few hours cleaning up the beach in collaboration with Heal The Bay.Read More -
8th Grade Difference Maker
Our Difference Makers Series at Berkeley Hall is designed to help our students think of ways they can actively engage in community service and support causes that matter to them personally. I wanted to share the recent work of one of our current 8th grade students, Jackson Garland, who spoke this week at a Los Angeles County Supervisors’ hearing.Read More
Videos
Photos
The Thirst Project
Alex Cook "You Are Loved" Mural
Matt Murrie "What If... 360"
Sydney Broillarde-Coyle
Located in Los Angeles, CA, Berkeley Hall School is a private, coeducational school for students in preschool through grade 8. Rigorous academics in a supportive atmosphere and grounded character development allow students to become fearless scholars and conscientious citizens - gain a love of learning, leadership with social responsibility, creativity with moral integrity, and self-esteem with compassion for others and the environment.