Imagine kids and adults growing up in a community where all people are built up, encouraged to live their dreams and are passionate about making the world a better place.
Helice “The Spark” Bridges had this dream and dedicated her life to finding a way for all people to feel appreciated, respected and loved so that they would know that Who They Are Makes A Difference.
In 1980, at the age of 38, Helice “Sparky” Bridges, co-chair of the San Diego Hunger Project, discovered that people were literally staving for recognition. It was then she decided that people of every age, race, religion, nationality and economic status deserved to be appreciated, respected and loved. As a result, she created a “Who I Am Makes A Difference”® “One Minute Blue Ribbon Acknowledgement”™ process and began to teach children and adults how to show their appreciation, respect and love for one another. People were shocked at how simple, powerful and moving this process was.
To help eradicate emotional hunger, Helice purchased 1,000 “Who I Am Makes A Difference”® buttons and began honoring people everywhere. With a handful of youth and adults, 1,000 people were honored in less than two weeks. The spirit of the Blue Ribbon acknowledgment message began to ripple throughout communities. People told stories of how this “One Minute Blue Ribbon Acknowledgment”™ healed broken marriages, stopped fights, increased grades and raised self-esteem. Helice dreamed that her “One Minute Blue Ribbon Acknowledgment”™ would ripple throughout communities, healing broken relationships, raising self-esteem and making dreams come true for everyone.
By 1983, Helice founded Difference Makers International, a nonprofit educational organization 501c3, uniting people to make a difference. She changed the buttons to blue ribbons with the words “Who I Am Makes A Difference”® stamped in gold. With the help of a dozen teens, parents, grandparents and business people, over 35,000 people were honored within the first three months. Middle school students raised money for Helice to come to their school and lead assemblies. This phenomenon was reported on the front page of The Los Angeles Times and The San Diego Union-Tribune. 1,100 radio stations nationwide and Channel 8 evening news covered the assemblies of middle school students apologizing for putting people down. Every student, parent and teacher in that school received Blue Ribbons.
Between 1983 and 1993, Helice taught youth and adults how to present self-esteem programs in elementary, junior and senior high schools. She trained thousands of children, teachers and parents how to appreciate, encourage and respect one another. In 1988, a teacher in New York honored every one of her high school students by placing a Blue Ribbon above their hearts. Then she invited her students to start a class project by honoring people throughout their community. Students honored their friends, family members, teachers - everyone.
One of these Blue Ribbons actually saved a 14 year-old boy from committing suicide. In 1993, the “Who You Are Makes A Difference” story about the 14 year-old boy who did not commit suicide was published in the first “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book. In the year 2000, this story was made into a television movie that aired nationwide. Helice also co-wrote the “Who I Am Makes A Difference”® song which was introduced by school children on ABC’s 20/20. Soon children and adults were honoring one another, creating a rippling effect. The combination of these events made it possible for millions of people throughout the world to see how a simple gesture of love and a Blue Ribbon could change a life forever.
People began to order Blue Ribbons throughout the world. Today more than 26 million people have been touched by the “Who I Am Makes A Difference”® message. The Blue Ribbons have been translated into 12 languages. Helice “the Spark” Bridges teaches youth and adult leaders, affectionately known as “Sparks”, how to teach the "One Minute Blue Ribbon Ceremony"™ and “Jump-Spark” Blue Ribbon Community™.
Difference Makers International's Blue Ribbon Community Building Systems provide an oppourtunity for kids to teach thier peers, teachers, and parents how to appreciate, love, and respect one another. It is Helice's Dream that this system will reach every child throughout the world. Helice believes in dreams and knows that where there is love and support, dreams really do come true.
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