History of School of Similarities 

Throughout my school based experiences as a Speech and Language Pathologist I, Mary Ann Eaton, observed many facets of students’ lives as they negotiated their way through the social and academic challenges typically generated in school communities.  As I engaged in countless conversations with hundreds of students I sensed that student apprehension, isolation, and turmoil might lessen if students would acknowledge universal similarities. It is my belief that we are more similar than different and if diverse populations would connect on similarities, all would benefit by gaining understanding, appreciation, and acceptance of differences.

Motivated by a  personal goal setting career responsibility for the 1994-95 school year while working for Capital Region Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) at Bethlehem Central High School in Delmar, New York, I embraced a desire to create a way to encourage students to connect with students with whom they would not ordinarily associate. With this as my goal and recognizing the benefits of volunteerism I designed and developed a volunteer program that would be available to students within the school day. My personal mission became the Lindsey Baron Chapter of School of Similarities at Bethlehem Central High School.

The Lindsey Baron Chapter of School of Similarities far exceeded my expectations during my three year tenure as founder and leader of this volunteer program. Through connections based on similarities students of different abilities, nationalities, races, talents, religions, etc. volunteered to connect and converse. Friendships, tolerance, understanding, acceptance, and appreciation for differences abounded. With the support of the Lindsey Baron “Bubba” Foundation, www.bubbafoundation.com  the Bethlehem School District Board of Education, and the testimony of the students whose lives were touched by participating in this volunteer program The Lindsey Baron Chapter School of Similarities continues at Bethlehem Central High School.

In September of 1997 I transferred out of Bethlehem Central High School to pursue other career opportunities in education and to assist my late husband, Bradley. E. Whisher, Sr. in building and operating The View Restaurant at Indian Kettles on northern Lake George, Hague, NY. My life and career experiences in the education and business worlds have championed my belief in the power of communication. It is my intention to cultivate and expand upon the favorable outcomes of the Lindsey Baron Chapter of School of Similarities at Bethlehem Central High School. It is my hope to address conflict and discord amongst people by providing junctures for connecting, conversing, and ultimately creating opportunities for personal growth and learning. 

 School of Similarities Today

School of Similarities is expanding into a learning organization with three branches. One branch provides opportunities for connections, conversations, and creations by offering seminars, workshops, guided conversations, and mentoring in the areas of literacy, language development, math literacy, communication, and embracing change. A second branch seeks to engage people from all walks of life to connect, converse, and create personal growth and learning through online conversations. The third branch seeks to create more volunteer chapters of the School of Similarities in schools.

School of Similarities continues to advocate that commonalities in our human experience should be acknowledged, explored, and celebrated. We believe that recognition of the universal elements in our human experience enables us to produce true social progress and change. We believe that achievement of personal awareness and intention will inevitably translate into prolific, constructive change in our daily lives as well as local, national, and global communities.

School of Similarities recognizes that in local, national, and global communities, we are achieving new and different perspectives.  We are recognizing the importance of an open mind, the benefits of caring for each other, and the necessity to protect our planet. 

Today...please join us so that we may begin connecting, conversing and creating...