Who are we

Difference Makers are high school students in New York City who are learning and applying service-learning from college professors in partnership with working Not-for-Profit organizations to solve some of the world's most challenging problems. They take these skills forward to college and to future careers. Principals at 9 NYC High Schools value after school enrichment that helps participants enter and finish great colleges. Contact Dr. William Reisel to join our high schools now participating, reiselw@stjohns.edu.

Contact

Difference Makers

College-Readiness via Academic Service-Learning

Accepting Registrations for 2025-2026 Program

627 Certificates Conferred in 9 Years

DMs Enter Great Colleges and Finish Studies

Welcome to our Newest High School, Staten Island Tech

New Dorp, The Mary Louis Academy. Special Thanks to Richmond County Savings Foundation

St. John's Offers $1,000 for every year you attend the University for up to 4 years.

USASBE 2020 Finalist: Excellence in Pedagogical Innovation

We partner with not-for-profit organizations

Here are a few studied by our high school students

Food Insecurity

Meals on Wheels

We partnered with Meals on Wheels to study food insecurity and learned a great deal about elderly people, some of whom, fought overseas wars in defense of freedom.

HIV Orphans in Zambia

American Friends of Cecily's Fund

We partnered with American Friends of Cecily's Fund to study lending support to educating HIV Orphans in Zambia.

True 2 Life

Violence Interruption

Our partnership with the incredible team of violence interrupters at True 2 Life, taught us so much about how professionals can reduce gang violence.

Reasons to join Difference Makers

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Distinguish your college application

There are a lot of reasons to join Difference Makers but none is greater than learning life-long service alongside of experienced college professors. Not only will you meet similarly minded students from across New York, but you will also show admissions officers that you are more than GPA.

Get service hours for graduation
Improve your college preparation experience by engaging in academic service-learning
Do good in New York City by working with actual not-for-profit organizations and their leaders
Raise funds for a cause and donate the funds
Learn leadership skills and meet like-minded students from many other high schools