Lily's Empathy Explorers: One Student's Mission to Make Compassion Count
What began as a personal journey to find healing and purpose has blossomed into a powerful student-led initiative already making a difference at Magrath High School and the elementary school next door.
Grade 12 student Lily Carter is the founder of Lily's Empathy Explorers, a program she designed to help younger students navigate social challenges and learn the true meaning of empathy. Lily walks to Magrath Elementary School twice weekly to lead one-hour sessions with a randomized group of eight Grade 6 students.
Each session is unique, with different students each time. It includes a survey, guided discussion, and an original card game Lily created to help students reflect on how they would respond in real-life situations. So far, she has run eight sessions, reaching dozens of students, with the goal of including every Grade 6 student before the end of the school year.
“I wanted it to be something meaningful—something I wish I had when I was younger,” says Lily. “So I created a space where students could talk, reflect, and really learn from each other.”
Her empathy card game features situation cards, such as how to respond if a best friend sits with someone else, and reaction cards ranging from “walk away” to “invite them over.” The ensuing conversations have been compelling.
“They talk about things that really happen,” Lily says. “One student whispered to another during a session, ‘You did that to me this weekend,’ and it turned into an honest, kind conversation that helped them reconnect. That’s the whole point—real healing, real empathy, real growth.”
Before and after each session, students are asked to define empathy and reflect on whether they have observed kindness at school. Many begin by writing, “I don’t know.” But their understanding deepens by the end of the hour. Some even ask to return for another session.
“What’s incredible is that they want to learn,” Lily says. “They take notes. They share. They care. That’s what gives me hope.”
A Response to Real Life
While Lily's program is rooted in optimism and connection, it stems from her understanding of how hard school can sometimes feel. Like many students, she has had difficult moments but decided early on to be part of the solution.
“Instead of being bitter about the things I’ve been through, I decided to be the change,” she explains. “I want to be the person I needed when I was struggling.”
She hopes that Lily's Empathy Explorers will help students become more thoughtful and kind and give them the confidence to be themselves.
“Empathy can be taught,” she says. “Even in just one hour. That’s what I want people to understand.”
The Ripple Effect of Encouragement
One of Lily's key inspirations came last fall when Westwind School Division invited motivational speaker Sam Demma to speak at high schools and junior highs. Lily saw a poster of Sam, reached out to him, and asked if she could share her idea.
To her surprise, he replied and even followed up with a Zoom call.
“He gave me his time. He really listened to me,” Lily says. “He told me I was on the right track and gave me the confidence to keep going.”
Sam's encouragement helped validate Lily's ideas, and she credits him with giving her the extra push she needed to believe her voice mattered.
“He made me feel like I could do something important. And that meant the world to me.”
Looking Ahead
Lily's dream is to expand Empathy Explorers to other schools and, one day, to copyright the program to offer it to families and educators nationwide. However, in the short term, she's focused on finishing what she started at Magrath Elementary and gathering enough data to present her findings to the Westwind School Board.
“In just one hour, students are learning what empathy really means,” she says. “I want the board to see the evidence, hear the stories, and see how much it's helping. Because it is.”
After graduation, Lily plans to study human rights law. She's been accepted to the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto—with scholarships—and is excited to find her next community.
“I know I'm making a positive impact here, but I also know I'm still looking for my place. I want to find friends I can call home and a place where I can grow even more. But I'm proud to leave this place better than I found it.”
Dreams in Motion
Lily's work is already attracting attention far beyond the walls of her school.
During a recent trip to Calgary, Lily spoke at the Grand Annual Banquet for the Odd Fellows, where the audience gave a standing ovation and enthusiastic praise. Both speeches moved the audience to tears, and many swarmed to speak with her afterward, eager to share how much her message meant to them.
In her final speech, she shared her passion for Lily's Empathy Explorers, which caught the attention of a Senior Director of Operations at Covenant Health.
“The lady gave me her business card and is very eager to have a meeting with her, her board members, and me to discuss implementing my program in their hospitals,” Lily shared in a recent update.
At the same time, Lily attended the UBC Welcomes You event in Calgary, where she connected with an advisor who offered to help her expand her reach.
“She was also certain that she could help me get in touch with local entrepreneurial groups and elementary schools to expand Lily's Empathy Explorers,” Lily said.
These opportunities reflect the passion, resilience, and initiative that have defined Lily's journey.
“I see no reason for it to stop here,” she said. “I've proved to myself that I can make a difference—even as a student, even in a small town.”
A Legacy of Compassion
Lily's story is a powerful reminder that student voices matter and that dreams can come true with heart, initiative, and determination. Whether mentoring younger students, connecting with health professionals, attending Powerful Youth, or giving speeches on the effects of bullying on teenage mental health, Lily proves that one student can make a lasting impact.
“Everyone has something hard they've been through,” she says. “But instead of letting it destroy you, let it shape you. Turn it into something that makes the world around you better.”
And Lily Carter is doing just that.