Our Story
Our Story
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What started as four students in a JAG room grew into a movement that reached the state and national level...
...and we're just getting started.
Violence is everywhere—from national news headlines to incidents right in our own backyard. When we looked around our own hometown, we saw over 50 assault arrests in a single year, and nearly 8,000 domestic violence incidents across Kentucky. But what hit closest to home was our own student survey: over 6% of our peers reported experiencing violence daily. Nearly 40% told us that the root problem was poor communication and an inability to talk through issues.
The Be The Difference movement was founded by four members of our Elliott County High School Jobs for America's Graduates program.
Pictured above from L to R: Miles Branham, Delainey McDaniel, Laney Cook, and Levi Adkins
We launched a weekly podcast featuring guests such as mental health professionals and even a trauma doctor at the University of Kentucky hospital. Our show reached over 2,500 views across Spotify and social media during the month of November. Plus, SpreeTV, a local television provider, even gave JAG its own permanent streaming channel! Our message even caught the attention of ABC36 News in Lexington, Kentucky, who aired video footage of an event we hosted in our school for those who signed the pledge to come together and received their customized t-shirt.
Once word began to spread on our No Violence November campaign, we noticed something that could not be ignored. It wasn't just our students that wanted a change. Pledges began pouring in from educators, small business owners, and community members from across our county. After our Public Service Announcements aired, even more pledges came in from members of communities across Kentucky. And thanks to the power of social media, our message reached other states leading to pledges from those in Ohio, Illinois, and Florida who were ready to take a stand against violence.
We didn't just want to help the 313 students in our high school; we wanted to start a movement. That’s how No Violence November was born—a month-long initiative focused on positive communication, active listening, and building understanding. We launched a Peacemaker Pledge, aired PSAs on local radio, posted notes on restroom stall doors, and gave customized t-shirts with empowering words like Freedom, Change, and Kindness to 137 ECHS students who joined us by signing the pledge and commiting to making a positive impact.
Elliott County High School students came together to show their support of No Violence November by wearing their customized t-shirt featuring the word they believe represented reducing violence in our world.
A change was brewing.
We knew we couldn't stop there.
Members of our core group posed with local band, the West Liberty Mountain Boys, following the Be The Difference concert. Local talent volunteered their time to perform during the concert.
November ended, but our momentum didn't. Seeing a 54% drop in behavioral incidents in our school showed us that our peers actually cared—they just needed the right tools. That’s when we officially evolved from a one-month project into a permanent, student-led movement: the Be The Difference campaign.
We immediately got to work solving problems right in front of us. We've built a digital counselor contact form so any student can discretely reach out for help straight from their phone via QR codes. We've also started building an upperclassman mentorship program to help guide younger students in our district, and we've rebranded our podcast, taking our reach from 2,500 to nearly 5,000 views!
We also wanted to give back beyond our school walls. We organized a community concert featuring local talent and raised over $1,000 for the Safe Harbor domestic violence shelter through ticket and t-shirt sales.
Our momentum gained even more speed when Kentucky State Police Trooper Zac Haney joined us on the podcast. After our interview, KSP actually asked us to help design a high school safety curriculum to implement across the entire state!
Before we knew it, we were visiting the Kentucky State Capitol, sitting down with legislators including State Representative Richard White, Senator Phillip Wheeler, and Senior Advisor to Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear Mr. Rocky Adkins. We were able to record a special episode of the podcast with Mr. Adkins, who told us to keep pushing our platform to an even bigger stage.
Our team had the opportunity to speak with Senior Advisor to Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Mr. Rocky Adkins. During our visit, we also recorded a special episode of our Be The Difference podcast, where we talked more about the campaign and its future.
Kentucky State Police Trooper Zac Haney visited our school to discuss his experiences dealing with violent acts. He also spoke with students about positive ways to communicate with police officers and how we can continute to make an impact in our world.
As our message grew across Kentucky, we decided to put our project to the ultimate test. We entered our campaign into the JAG Career Development Conference competitions, standing up in front of judges to share what our school had accomplished. The hard work paid off in a huge way—we took home 1st place in our region and went on to win 1st place in the entire state of Kentucky!
Winning state punched our ticket to the National Career Development Conference (NCDC) in Salt Lake City, Utah. Traveling across the country to represent our school and state was an unforgettable experience. Standing on that national stage, Levi, Delainey, Miles, and Laney presented our campaign to a panel of national judges, walking them through our statistics, our podcast, our KSP safety curriculum, and our community impact.
When the final results came in, our project placed 7th in the entire nation! Out of hundreds of top programs across the country, four high school students from Kentucky proved that a student-led idea can create national-level impact. Bringing that national award back home showed us that this was never just a school project - it was a blueprint for youth leadership everywhere.
What started as four high schoolers in a JAG classroom turned into a national movement—and we’re not stopping in Salt Lake City. We built Be The Difference because we believe that no matter where you live or how big your school is, students have the power to change their culture from the inside out. Now, we’re inviting schools, JAG chapters, and student leaders across the nation to stand with us. Whether it’s starting a Peacemaker Pledge, setting up counselor QR networks, or launching your own local service initiatives, you don't have to wait to make an impact. Reach out and join us - it’s time to step up, lead the way, and Be The Difference in your community.
Our team joined by Elliott JAG Specialists Carla Faulkner and David Ray Gillum following the 2026 NCDC Awards Ceremony.
Because together...we can make a difference.
Our team shows off their medals after they received first place in the 2026 JAG KY L.O.V.E Project competition during the JAG KY's State Career Development Conference in Lexington, Ky.
Our middle and high school Elliott JAG students had the opportunity to explore the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park after advancing to JAG's 2026 National Career Development Conference.
Levi and Miles walk off the stage at NCDC after receiving their national recognition for No Violence November and the Be The Difference campaign.
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