Difference Makers International

Helice, “Your story and commitment to young people are remarkable. I thank you for your unswerving...

Thu, 10 May 2012 15:23:50 -0700

Helice,

“Your story and commitment to young people are remarkable. I thank you for your unswerving focus on making a value-added difference in the lives of others. The blue ribbon ceremony is a very, very special event. WELL DONE!”

Bill Kowba

Superintendent – San Diego Unified School District

May 14 kicks off the Go Summit

Mon, 07 May 2012 08:28:00 -0700

Led by some of the nation’s most sought after sales/leadership trainers and motivational speakers, The Go Summit promises to be a career and life-changing event. http://thegosummit.com/

DMI receives a Grant from SDG&E

Fri, 04 May 2012 08:21:30 -0700

Difference Makers International has received a grant from SDG&E to teach our one-year “Bully NO More” student train-to-train leadership system at Wolf Canyon Elementary School in Chula Vista, CA. Principals report, “Every school should have this program because it just works!”

STATE FARM/CAUSE AN EFECT — INTO THEIR FATHERS’ ARMS PROJECT — “Happy Is the...

Thu, 03 May 2012 08:12:35 -0700

STATE FARM/CAUSE AN EFECT — INTO THEIR FATHERS’ ARMS PROJECT — “Happy Is the Man Whose Children run into his Arms Even when He has Nothing in his Hands.” — We Need Your Votes Folks! POPS was one of 100 finalists selected out of 3,000 entries in the Cause an effect contest. Voting is on now at State Farm on FB. Look for a red square with the words Cause and Effect, then look up our program, called “INTO THEIR FATHER’S ARMS.” Every FB subscriber can vote up to 10 times per day. Please help us bring father-friendly, male-positive Supporting Father Involvement classes to San Diego.

Adam Gettinger-Brizuela, MA, CATC-IV
Director, Paternal Opportunities, Programs & Services (POPS)
Co-Chair, Executive Team, San Diego Fatherhood Network

May 14 kicks off the Go Summit – at the Hyatt Regency Orange County in Garden Grove

Wed, 02 May 2012 12:55:41 -0700

If you have aspirations of living a richer life, making a difference and playing a bigger game, if you’re serious about achieving your desires and designing the life you dream about, The Go Summit is for you! #gosummit. http://thegosummit.com/

the Go Summit

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:49:49 -0700

the Go Summit:

Go Above and Beyond!

KimKelley Productions is proud to announce the Go Summit, the foremost productivity and motivation gathering in Southern California!
May 14 & 15, 2012.

Register TODAY!!!!

Outrageously fun picture with Helice “Sparky” Bridges and San...

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:48:49 -0700

Outrageously fun picture with Helice “Sparky” Bridges and San Diego Mayorial Candidate Carl DeMaio. This picture will give you the lighter side of politics. ENJOY!

International Training

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 09:52:24 -0700

This month we begin our SST programs with awesome folks in Australia and Venezuela via Skype. World-wide Who I Am Makes A Difference communities.

Go Blue!! Today is the third annual Difference Makers Day in the Bahamas. A Great Celebration is...

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:02:02 -0700

Go Blue!! Today is the third annual Difference Makers Day in the Bahamas.
A Great Celebration is underway.

Bahamas Difference Makers Day - March 28

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 08:04:53 -0700

The Bahamas Baptist Community College,

Youth Empowerment Programme Presents:

Third Annual Difference Maker’s Day - Bahamas

Theme: “Who I am Makes A Difference”

BBCC Academic Building

Wednesday March 28, 2012

11:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m.

Let’s Unite Bahamas!!!!!!!

PS - A Different Thanksgiving

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 13:07:31 -0700

About three years ago when the families of my five brothers and my sister gathered for a Thanksgiving meal, I added something different to the desert table. I place a bowl full of the Blue “Who I am Makes A Difference” Ribbons. When my brother had finished saying a Thanksgiving prayer, I announced the presence of the ribbons. I invited everyone in the family to randomly pick up a ribbon or two, and sometime in the balance of the day to put a ribbon on the chest of someone in the family they thought was special and made a difference to them. When everyone got up after the meal and some made their way to the desert table, the ribbons began to slowly disappear from the bowl. After a few hours everyone was walking a around with at least one ribbon on or more. While I do not remember witnessing many of these private ceremonies, that was the beauty of the whole thing. It was all done reverently and in the right spirit. There was a special eagerness in some of the nieces and nephews as they grabbed for the ribbons. At the end of the day most everyone thanked me for bringing the ribbons. It was a non-threatening way for the various families members to tell each other that they loved each other. What I will never forget, is the thank you notes that I received from two of my nieces days later. They talked about how the blue ribbons helped to pull the family together instead of everyone going their own way. They said in their notes that it was the best Thanksgiving that they will ever remember, because they really celebrated what Thanksgiving was really about.

Dave Kappesser. Reprinted with his approval.

Youth Voice

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 08:41:28 -0700

Today’s Youth can, will and DO have a voice for change.
Check out http://youtu.be/Fa9noMHnGCY
Support Express Yourself Teen Radio today….

Happy Birthday to Dr. Seuss. Which of his stories is your favorite? Be sure and read it to your kids...

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 07:31:09 -0800

Happy Birthday to Dr. Seuss. Which of his stories is your favorite?
Be sure and read it to your kids this weekend.
You will make a difference.

Pre-Teen Years Can Be Amazing

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:51:54 -0800

My 10 year old daughter (11 next month) came to me the other morning and asked if I would like some breakfast. I was working in my office. I said, “Sure.” She then asked her older brother (14), who happened to also be home, and he happily said yes as well. After a few minutes, I could hear her working in the kitchen. I thought I would join her and have some quality mother/daughter time. She quickly let me know that she was surprising us, and wanted to do this alone. So, I went back to doing other things and let her create her masterpiece.

When breakfast was ready, it was truly amazing. Not only did she make scrambled eggs, french toast, and cut up cantelope, but she cleaned off the patio table (it was a gorgeous sunny morning), put a beautiful table cloth on, gold placemats, and even added a vase with flowers from our garden. Wow! To top it off, she brought in little containers of syrup and honey for our french toast, and put cloths on our chairs to sit on. Then she added a scarf around the vase. It was a beautiful site, and so yummy!

I said, “Alexis, this is absolutely wonderful. Thank you! It is delicious, and the table is beautiful. I am so proud of you. Look how creative you are.” She smiled big, took a deep breath (taking it in), and said, “I love myself.” She smiled again and said, “I love myself.” I told her I was glad that she loves herself, that she did a fabulous job, and we were grateful for her gift.

These are the moments you can have with your pre-teens and teens. I love it!

Traci Carman, A Loving Way ~ How I Parent Makes A Difference

www.alovingway.com

"Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change..."

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 09:49:19 -0800

“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”

- George Bernard Shaw.

"Make your future dream a present fact, by assuming the feeling of the wish fulfilled."

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:10:30 -0800

“Make your future dream a present fact, by assuming the feeling of the wish fulfilled.”

- Neville 1944

ALL children should be empowered

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 08:54:20 -0800

“I want you to know that my dream paradigm shifted after this last training, and I thank you for that. I grew up in juvenile halls, camps, placement homes and state youth authority. I was groomed in those places to graduate to prisons and penitentiaries.

We don’t hear about the children that are in this cycle of imprisonment very often because society would rather forget or ignore the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of children among us who have been abandoned, left behind and forgotten. Society would rather take these children off the street and put them behind walls where we don’t have to see them and acknowledge their plight.

I wanted to change and revolutionize the juvenile justice system. That was my dream until yesterday. I realized yesterday that is focusing on the problem. My new dream is to ensure that every child that is, or ever will be in the juvenile justice system becomes empowered to rise above their circumstances. This new dream focuses on what can and will be right with the juvenile justice system, especially when I get there!”

Standing Strong Together Training …learn more!...

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:11:14 -0800

Standing Strong Together Training …learn more! www.DifferenceMakersInternational.org

"I decided to honor my mom, she is a cancer survivor..."

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:04:37 -0800

“I decided to honor someone close to me. I honored my mom. She is a cancer survivor. She inspires me every day, to live life to the fullest and not take life for granted, because life is fragile and it can be taken from us in an instant. I told her that I love her and I am so proud of her, for staying strong through her illness, but also now that she can and is helping other people get through… their fears and frustrations about cancer. I could see the warmth and the love flowing from her eyes. She appreciated the fact that I was telling her how proud of her I was. She now knows how much of a difference she make in my life, and always will!”

- Participant in Online Standing Strong Together Training

Learn more about our training: http://www.DifferenceMakersInternational.org

Testimonial from Women who honors Inmates with Blue Ribbons

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:06:52 -0800

“I help do groups for women inside Lancaster County Prison. I give each woman a blue ribbon, basically following the (Blue Ribbon Ceremony) steps - though I do not try to attach the Blue Ribbon to their prison garb. It has sometimes been very emotional. Once after I gave out 2 or 3, one of the women asked me if she could give a blue ribbon. So I handed her one and she turned to one of the other inmates and began to repeat what I had just said about how the other inmate was making a difference and being a helper. They both began to cry as they exchanged the ribbon. Then another woman asked if she too could give one. She gave it to the prison counselor and honored her and expressed appreciation for how (the counselor) was helping them and making a difference. They all applauded her and her eyes filled with tears. The women inmates very often say no one has ever told them they matter before.”

Read More of how her work is making a difference…

http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/585164_Program-teaches-inmates-one-of-hardest-lessons.html#ixzz1mTskHgKd