Head Shots

Making a difference in the world

– Peter Sturrup, Headmaster

Making a difference in the world. This theme is especially poignant for this issue of The Pillars; for it expresses the essence of a purpose that has endured for 175 years. As you will see in the pages ahead, every generation represented herein—from the 1940s to today—has taken up the challenge of our founders to “to give every opportunity for the good principle in the soul to be heard.”

That approach, embodying our Quaker founding, has led students from every corner of the world, from every walk of life, from every human perspective, to find ways to live lives of purpose.

These pages, then, capture the work of doctors, veterans, teachers, media, politicians, students, athletes, researchers, artists, or regulators and reveal inspiring portraits of the actions and deeds that are the stories of how our community has made the world a better place.

However, for all of the inspiration they provide, if we are not careful, this message can have an equal and opposite discouraging effect. For while it seems uplifting to think that we can inspire every student to make change, young people might find that a little overwhelming. “After all,” they might say, “how can one small person like me truly make a difference in the world?”

So, one of the messages I always seek to explain to our students in Morning Meeting is that making a difference in the world does not have to be about grandiose acts of ingenuity, courage or power. Perhaps more importantly, making a difference in the world can be as simple as how we treat one another. After all, for each of us, the biggest difference in our lives has been, more often than not, when someone treated us kindly; when they said something to encourage us, to inspire us, to reassure us, or to heal us.

The greatest thing we can do for humanity then, is to show our humanity; and all that requires is a quiet word, a smile, a hand, a belief, even a look. Every one of us has that power, and it can do more to move the world than science, technology or industry ever will. We want our students to take action; I hope that action starts with how they treat one another.

Mother Teresa said, “We cannot do great things, only small things with great love.” I think we can do great things, if we bring great love to our actions. Imagine if we look at someone through eyes of compassion, we will see their goodness; if we look at someone through eyes of hope, we will see their potential; if we look at someone through eyes of forgiveness, we will see their vulnerability; if we look at someone through eyes of belief, we will see their hopes and dreams.

Every student, no matter their age, ability or skill has this power. All they need to make a difference in this world is to choose to use it with the person next to them.