Change Makers

What makes a Change Maker

Impacts the world in positive and authentic ways

Is robustly prepared for real-world challenges that require the integration of academic, creative and social-emotional domains

Is not defined by numbers or scale: To make a positive change in the life of one person brings positive change to the world.

OUR Change MakerS

Each year we identify a Change Maker who embodies that year's theme, and can be a lens through which we view our curriculum and projects for the year. Every class, TK - 8, learns about the life and work of this change maker. Change Maker nominations and the selection process involves all members of the community, from students to parents and staff.

Change Maker Themes

The Change Maker Themes inform the selection of each year's Change Maker and reflect the focus we aim to have on curriculum for that year. When a student has completed their Synapse education, from Transitional Kindergarten through 8th grade, they will have seen and learned in the context of each of the Change Maker Themes.

LeVAR burton- 2025-26 Change Maker

Change maker for 2025-26

LeVar Burton is beloved as the host of Reading Rainbow, inspiring countless children to explore the world of reading. He earned widespread acclaim for portraying Kunta Kinte in the landmark miniseries Roots and later appeared as Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Beyond acting, Burton champions literacy and education through speaking engagements and outreach programs. As an author and producer, he brings stories to life—whether through his Rhino Tales series or children’s podcasts and fiction readings produced by LeVar Burton Entertainment.

I've dedicated my life to the power of storytelling. Whether I'm acting, directing, writing or podcasting, I believe sharing stories is what I was born to do because storytelling is what brings us all together.LeVar Burton

Levar burton

to represent the theme of Risk & Initiative

Open the accordions below to read more about our past Change Makers!

Counterpoint

Change maker for 2024-25

Sebastião Salgado is a Brazilian social documentary photographer and photojournalist. He has traveled throughout more than 120 countries for his photographic projects. Most of these have appeared in numerous press publications and books. Touring exhibitions of his work have been presented throughout the world.

Photography is full of symbolism, it's a symbolic language. You have to be able to materialize all your thoughts in one single image. Sebastião Salgado

SeBastião Salgado

to represent the theme of Counterpoint

Change maker for 2015-16

Benjamin Franklin was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher.

Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn. Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin

Iteration

Change maker for 2023-24

Dr. Eugenie Clark was an American ichthyologist known for both her research on shark behavior and her study of fish in the Tetraodontiformes. Clark was a pioneer in the field of scuba diving for research purposes. In addition to being regarded as an authority in marine biology, Clark was popularly recognized and used her fame to promote marine conservation.

I don't get philosophical. Love fish. Love sharks. Keep the water and their habitats as clean and protected as possible.Dr. Eugenie Clark

Dr. Eugenie Clark

to represent the theme of iteration

Change makers for 2014-15

Mae Jemison an American engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut. She became the first African-American woman to travel into space when she served as a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour.

Neil deGrasse Tyson is an American astrophysicist, planetary scientist, author, and science communicator.

MAE JEMISON

Never limit yourself because of others' limited imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination. Mae Jemison

NEIL deGRASSE TYSON

Whether or not you can never become great at something, you can always become better at it. Don’t ever forget that! And don’t say “I’ll never be good”. You can become better! and one day you’ll wake up and you’ll find out how good you actually became. Neil deGrasse Tyson

Crisis and Opportunity

Change Maker for 2022-23

Thích Nhất Hạnh is a Vietnamese Thiền Buddhist monk, peace activist, prolific author, poet, teacher, and founder of the Plum Village Tradition, historically recognized as the main inspiration for engaged Buddhism.

With mindfulness, you can establish yourself in the present in order to touch the wonders of life that are available in that moment.Thich Nhất Hạnh

Thích Nhất Hạnh

In 2023 we were honored to be joined at our Interactive Lab by Brothers Phap Dung (Brother Embrace) and Phap Luu (Brother Stream) from Deer Park monastery. They played, explored, and answered many questions.

Change Maker for 2013-14

Rachel Carson was an American marine biologist, writer, and conservationist whose influential book Silent Spring (1962) and other writings are credited with advancing the global environmental movement

Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.Rachel Carson

rachel carson

Power of One

Change Maker for 2021-22

Judith Ellen Heumann was an American disability rights activist. She is recognized internationally as a leader in the disability community.

How can we possibly know someone else's story unless we listen?Judy Heumann

Judy Heumann

Change Maker for 2012-13

Rosalind Franklin was a British chemist and X-ray crystallographer whose work was central to the understanding of the molecular structures of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), RNA (ribonucleic acid), viruses, coal, and graphite

Science, for me, gives a partial explanation for life. In so far as it foes, it is based on fact, experience and experiment.Rosalind Franklin

Rosalind franklin

Turning Point

Change Maker for 2020-21

Desmond Mpilo Tutu was a South African Anglican bishop and theologian, known for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist.

Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world. Desmond Tutu

Desmond Tutu

Change Maker for 2011-12

Thomas Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures.

Just because something doesn’t do what you planned it to do doesn’t mean it’s useless. Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison

Intersection

Change Maker for 2019-20

Joan Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

I am a very strong believer in listening and learning from others. Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Change Maker for 2010-11

Leonardo da Vinci was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect.

The knowledge of all things is possible. Leonardo Da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci

Noble Goal

Transformation

Change Maker for 2017-18

Dolores Huerta is an American labor leader and civil rights activist who, with Cesar Chavez, is a co-founder of the National Farmworkers Association, which later merged with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee to become the United Farm Workers.

Every minute is a chance to change the world. Dolores Huerta

Dolores Huerta

Risk and Initiative

Change Maker for 2016-17

Ieoh Ming "I.M." Pei was a Chinese-American architect. He was one of the most renowned architects of the 20th and early 21st centuries, known for signature projects such as the Louvre Pyramid and the National Gallery of Art's East Wing.

Stop worrying about missed opportunities and start looking for new ones.I.M PEI