As thought leaders and practitioners for over a decade, Beyond Differences® pioneered the creation of nationwide programs that equip middle school communities with activities and curricula for Social Emotional Learning (SEL).
National Programs
No One Eats Alone®
Know Your Classmates®
Be Kind Online®
Secret to our Success
Youth Leadership Development
National Teen Board
Professional Development for Educators
Days of Action
Join Beyond Differences® by celebrating our annual Days of Action that promote Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), help to end social isolation and create a culture of inclusion at your school!
Know Your Classmates® Day
October 11, 2024
Designed to explore youth identity and belonging + help students embrace diversity, and help students speak honestly about their feelings. Now includes teen created lessons on How to be An Ally, Diverse Expressions of Gender, Recognizing Bias, and Anti Racism + National Stand Up for Asian American Youth Campaign materials.
No One Eats Alone® Day
February 14, 2025
Youth learn to make new friends at lunch beyond their existing peer groups through community-building activities that help them get to know one another and include students who are being left out. (WINTER)
Be Kind Online® Day
April 11, 2025
Focused on creating inclusive communities online and ending social isolation in digital spaces. Students learn how to stand up to hateful behaviors, positive and negative aspects of screen time, social media’s effect on emotions and how to regulate those feelings, how to build self-confidence online and how to build your future online. (SPRING)
Events & News
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The Positive Power of Agency & Activism
My name is Paarth, and I’m from Kalamazoo, Michigan. I have been part of Beyond Differences since the start of my sophomore year in high school, and joined because I wanted to use my experiences as a middle school student who felt socially isolated to make positive...
How to Use Storytelling to Build Belonging
Storytelling has always been a way to share, engage, and entertain audiences, but it is also a very powerful tool to help students connect, make difficult conversations more approachable, and leave a lasting impression. Beyond Differences is harnessing the magic of...
Students Tackle Social Isolation as they Celebrate National No One Eats Alone® Day
— Lunchtime Initiative Creates a Culture of Belonging and Helps Students Plant New Connections On February 16, 2024, over a million students in more than 2,000 schools all over the country will initiate new connections and contribute to a culture of belonging as they...
(1994 – 2009)
Our Inspiration
Beyond Differences® was created in memory of Lili Rachel Smith. She endured the pain of social isolation and feeling different.
Lili is the heart and guiding light of the organization.
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