Years ago, John F. Kennedy remarked, “One person can make a difference and everyone should try.”

I think we can all agree that this is true, but the question then becomes…how?

Faced with the overwhelming problems with which modern society is confronted, it’s too easy to think that our voice is irrelevant in the larger scheme and our efforts will be sucked up in a black hole of indifference.

However, when we look into history, we find ‌the opposite is true. 

Let’s throw out a few names here, and you consider how they affected real and lasting global change by exerting influence that none of them could have planned when they began their journey.

Jane Goodall - known for her work with primates, her activism continues to have an impact

Vanessa Nakate  - began a climate strike outside public places in the capital Kampala in 2019 then founded Youth for Future Africa

Malala Yousafzai - the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize after surviving an assassination attempt by the Taliban

Greta Thunberg - she has provided a voice to people around the world who know we need to protect our planet

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the youngest woman ever to be elected to serve in the United States Congress who worked as a server and bartender before running for Congress

Think about it. Can one person influence another person or a few others? Yes, you can and that has a couple of wonderful outcomes.

One, you create a ripple effect that can influence an enormous number of people, even over generations.

Two, there are many people whom you’ve already influenced during your life and what about the people who have influenced you? Here, 1 + 1 = many. Your influence branches out.

The renowned architect, philosopher and futurist Buckminster Fuller wrote, “Never forget that you are one of a kind. Never forget that if there weren’t any need for you in all your uniqueness to be on this earth, you wouldn’t be here in the first place. And never forget, no matter how overwhelming life’s challenges and problems seem to be, that one person can make a difference in the world. In fact, it is always because of one person that all the changes that matter in the world come about. So be that one person.”

It’s how we teach children at Walden. We make it a core part of our process to make it clear to each student that they have a voice; they have agency and the ability to influence change that goes way beyond their expectations. 

So what can you do? When we published the guide Making a Better World With Kids, we shared three areas of concern that kids really care about. They are:

• Saving the climate

• Equity for everybody

• Kindness, respect and dignity

Making a better world with kids is a quest that requires perseverance and belief.

We do better when we work together. Community is at the heart of Walden, with our great faculty, staff and parents. Let’s be curious together and learn from each other to inspire this next generation of leaders and change makers.

In the last couple of posts, we’ve been challenging you to discover and act on initiatives that you can implement at home, at work and with friends and family. We’ve also been providing links to assist you in discovering additional sources of inspiration and direction, and this month is no different.

As a starting point, you could check out We Make Change , a movement connecting individuals and employees with Social Enterprises across the world where they can volunteer their skills online to make change happen. If you sign up to become a ChangeMaker, you can volunteer your skills online to support a project and connect with other ChangeMakers in Canada or around the world.

Looking for something in our own backyard? The Town of Oakville has a volunteer section offering a variety of opportunities for all ages. You can find it here. And, on a broader scale, you can find opportunities in the Halton Region on the Community Development Halton site.

Even if you only use these to gain some inspiration, know that each of us can be heard, be seen and take part in making a better world.

What will you do to make a difference?