Principal / S. Ellen Jones Elementary

Ben & Crystal Woods have an important story to share that has made a touching impact on the lives of our students & staff. Hearing their story is much like reading a great book that leaves a lasting impression on how you move forward in life & the choices you make in your interactions with others. Their story did this for SEJ! From time to time we now reflect and remind our students to use their eyes, hearts, and hands to change the world. I highly recommend inviting Ben and & Crystal to visit your school and share their story. We look forward to hearing their message again in the years ahead at S. Ellen Jones.

Principal / Grant Line Elementary School

The Look Out For The Left Out assembly is truly inspirational & makes such an impact on our Grant Line school family. The Woods family holds a special place in our hearts because they are family!

Our students & staff continually strive to live like Calla. She promotes being kind, including others, & seeing the good in others. Ben and Crystal take those attributes & speak gently, yet assertively, to get their point across to audiences of young students. Their assembly is so impactful to our students - they tell their family story, reiterate the importance of kindness, & simply love on our students. We are so grateful to their partnership in promoting Look Out For The Left Out values & cannot wait to have them back at Grant Line!

3rd Grade Teacher / Corydon Elementary School

Corydon Elementary School had the honor of meeting with Ben & Crystal to hear Calla’s story of genuine love for others. It truly was a family meeting, with time after the assembly to talk & interact in a small group setting.

Team Woods poured a powerful message into our school family; a message that will be everlasting. There have already been so many conversations with students, teachers, & parents, about the power of this message & the ripple effect it has created in spreading kindness. This is not just an assembly we go to and then leave. It sticks with us as we witness Look Out for the Left Out playing out in our school & community.

Principal / Silver Creek Elementary School

Look Out For The Left Out was such an impactful assembly that truly touched so many lives at our school! The message of having open eyes, open hands, and an open heart to step in when someone is being left out is truly valuable. Teaching students about the importance of inclusivity, kindness, and the power of their voices can have a lasting impact on their personal and social development. The notion that everybody needs somebody and that each person can be somebody's somebody is a powerful reminder of the positive influence students can have on one another. Overall, the message delivered through the assembly, and smaller group breakout sessions was a fantastic and meaningful event for fostering a supportive and compassionate school community.

Assistant Principal / River Valley Middle School

River Valley Middle School had the privilege & pleasure of hearing from Mr. and Mrs. Woods. We have a focus at RVMS for students to show PRIDE, so having Ben & Crystal come in to share Calla's story about kindness & compassion was very powerful. The Look Out for the Left Out message was really impactful for our students & staff. Our students were engaged throughout the entire presentation.

As an administrator, I appreciated how accommodating and open Team Woods was to working with us to create a schedule that worked for our building. Our teachers & students also loved the time that Ben & Crystal were able to spend in their rooms allowing students to ask questions. If the opportunity presented itself again, we would most definitely love to have them both back in our building!

Principal / Borden Elementary School

Every person I encountered on the day of the assembly could not stop talking about what a positive & needed message Team Woods presented.

Adults spoke of the incredible power & perspective Ben & Crystal have as parents. Many adults mentioned incorporating some of the key phrases in their community circle meetings for the next few weeks to keep the message in front of students.

Teachers texted & said they were so thankful for Team Woods’ delivery and their willingness to be direct & relatable to our kids & the things they experience.

Several students have already approached their teachers & me with ideas of how they can be more intentional in including their peers.

Principal / Henryville Jr. Sr. High School

Our school was so fortunate to have the opportunity for Ben & Crystal to speak to our staff & students about kindness & looking out for others. Their message inspired our students. I am already seeing the impact it had on our students as they have approached me with ideas for our school on how they can promote acts of kindness. Hearing the way Calla lived her life loving everyone & always looking out for those in need has inspired all of us &Henryville Jr. Sr. High School I am encouraged to see the positive changes this message will have on our school culture.

Calla’s Pre-K Teacher & Director/Owner, Lafayette Academy Preschool

We were so excited to have Ben & Crystal Woods visit Lafayette Academy Preschool! Their sweet girls, Calla & Lilah, were preschoolers here when they were little, so it was extra special to have them visit us again & pour into our current preschoolers!

So much of preschool life is teaching our students how to use kind words, kind hands & to be aware of their actions & how they make others feel. This is the age to begin practicing & using our voice and hands to lift others up & not hurt or bring others down. Ben & Crystal's powerful message on how to be kind, what kindness looks like & how to be an active participant in truly "looking out for the left out" is so vital & important for what we are teaching as well. Their presentation & the way they deliver it with love, even had our littlest school friends engaged & participating. Preschoolers need to understand in a world of big kids & adults, that they too can change the world with their words, their heart and their actions starting now!

The "Look Out For The Left Out" message is appropriate for any school age group! Every school body needs to hear this message! What a beautiful world we would live in if every person lived life with this message in mind! Thank you Ben and Crystal for visiting our school and loving on our students! We are so blessed to have taught your beautiful girls & to continue to carry on the message that Calla so beautifully began & taught us all!

7th Grade Teacher / Highland Hills Middle School

Ben & Crystal Woods visited HHMS this year & I was blown away by their presentation. In a world full of mean tweets & snarky social media, a world where it seems hard to agree on anything, Ben & Crystal spread the message of kindness - a message that everyone can agree on.

I have been teaching for 26 years & have heard hundreds of guest speakers & presentations. I can say these middle schoolers were truly engaged & listening to their every word. Sometimes middle school kids can attempt to be quiet during an assembly to be nice or respectful, but at this assembly they were quiet because they were locked in & engaged.

Ben & Crystal bring a spiritual message, but with secular boundaries that is appropriate for any public school. Every school & age group could benefit from hearing the message on how to “Look Out For The Left Out.”

Counselor / St. Mary of the Knobs Catholic School

It was such an honor for the Woods family to visit our school. The message they share is meaningful and inspiring to all ages. Calla is continuing to add light to this world and her family is gracious enough to share their journey in finding meaning in their loss.

We left their presentation inspired to love like Calla and follow the “Look Out for the Left Out” challenge. I have been able to witness how the Woods family’s message helps to create a ripple of kindness. We intend to keep this message alive in all that we do at our school. They have helped us to be mindful that no act of kindness is ever wasted. Small things matter with kindness and we are trying our best to not miss out on these opportunities.

The quality of time spent with each class after the main assembly was a testament of them living in a way that everyone feels “seen and heard”. As a school counselor, this is my mission daily. I write this with a grateful heart and dedicated to keep Calla’s light shining here at SMK.

Calla’s 1st grade Teacher / Grant Line Elementary School

I was blessed to be Calla's first grade teacher. She truly LOVED everyone like no one I had ever met before. She included ALL students in everything she did, and truly loved her classmates even when loving others wasn't easy. It was great to witness such unconditional love from a first grader.

When the "Look Out for the Left Out" assembly came to our school, my first grade class was consumed with the message. They were quiet & focused the whole time, paying attention & following along with the movements of the message. After the assembly, my class would always check the "buddy bench" at recess to see if anyone needed a friend to play with. The students definitely got the message to look out for the left out and be a friend to all.

The Woods family does an excellent job of spreading Calla's message to schools. Call, book, schedule them to visit your school or business or event. You won't be disappointed by their message, excitement & love they share for each other and you!

5th grade Teacher / Northaven Elementary School

Look Out for the Left Out is more than assembly, it is a school family meeting. Ben & Crystal welcome your school as their own and bring the staff in students into their family. Students talk about Calla’s kindness and how a girl that they have never met impacted them and their school. The lesson has even empowered one of our students to reach out and ask for help in their own grieving process of losing their parent this year.

Ben & Crystal came to our classrooms to hear from the students, laugh with them, answer questions, & share more about the importance of kindness. They really explained to our fifth graders the power of leading with kindness & how their reactions to situations matter. Students learn about empathy, perseverance, courage, bravery, kindness, & so much more with this assembly. Thank you Ben & Crystal for empowering teachers & students, sharing your story, & spreading joy to the next generation!

Executive Director / GCCS Education Foundation

Partnering with Ben & Crystal to put the Look Out for the Left Out assembly in all of our Greater Clark County Schools was the best decision ever! Their message is one that EVERYONE needs to hear; a message that moved our students & staff to be kind, include others, & look out for the left out. From scheduling the assemblies, to the message delivered, & the special intimate classroom moments Ben & Crystal had with our students, I would highly recommend this program for all K-12th grandes.

6th Grade Teacher / Western Middle School of the Arts

Ben & Crystal’s story touches the hearts of everyone who hears it. They tackle tough topics & do it with such sweetness & kindness, students & staff can’t help but open themselves up to making changes in a positive way in the world they live in. I found that the format of the presentation & classroom visits allowed students to connect, engage & look for ways they can start showing kindness every day.

LOFTLO has had a positive impact on our school culture & I can’t wait to see how we live out “Look Out For The Left Out”.

Intervention / Wilson Elementary School

Look Out for the Left Out was so much more than an assembly- it was a new way of incorporating all encompassing love with our PRIDE expectations. Our students were enthralled the entire time with the exceptional story of Calla & her love of inclusion. Classrooms are consistently using the Look Out for the Left Out language in order to make sure we are including all. With our transient population & students in & out of our building quite a bit, this way of showing inclusion truly hits home. Thank you for spreading the message of love & joy to our students & staff. It was one day that truly will not be forgotten!

Principal / Wilson Elementary School

Wilson Elementary had the chance to learn & grow together through the Look Out for The Left Out Program. Students were inspired, reminded & encouraged to spread kindness& to be aware of others. It was a positive experience for our staff and students. The presenters were organized, flexible & easy to work with throughout the process.

5th Grade Teacher / Jonathan Jennings Elementary School

Sharing Calla’s legacy through the message of “Look out for the Left Out” has allowed me to see deeper into the lives of each of my students outside of the classroom. Together, we have built stronger relationships & are learning and growing - viewing each other with a new lens of kindness & empathy, & noticing each other for all of the uniquely beautiful qualities we each possess. The message has empowered my students & I to have a renewed sense of inclusion, belonging, & self confidence. It’s a truly life changing message that every child needs to hear!

Educator / Phoenix School of Discovery

Engaging, encouraging, & powerful! A great way to open up conversation about how to LOOK OUT FOR THE LEFT OUT.

Both staff & students loved this wonderful couple’s presentation & embraced the idea that we too can be a positive agent of change in this world.

Principal / Pleasant Ridge Elementary School

Pleasant Ridge Elementary would like to thank the Woods Family for showing the power of each of us opening our eyes, hearts, & hands. The Look Out For The Left Out assembly showed us how a small positive action from others creates a ripple of positive energy that transfers to others. Pleasant Ridge School has always embraced creating a safe environment for all children, but we will do it a little bit better after engaging with Team Woods.

Assistant Principal / Jeffersonville High School

Ben & Crystal’s story was heartfelt & inspiring. Many of our freshmen walked away wanting to make a change in their lives because they recognized how much they can impact those around them. Calla & her legacy has motivated our students & our teachers to simply be better— be kind & be inclusive even if you are the only one doing those things. We are so thankful to have had Ben & Crystal speak with our students.

Principal / Richland County Elementary School

Ben & Crystal Woods were such an inspiration to our students. 3rd, 4th, & 5th grade students were hanging on their words and enjoying their enthusiasm. Their story is heartbreaking, yet so inspiring. It gave all of the adults in the room a great narrative to continue long after they left. We continue to remind the students to always, Look Out For The Left Out!

Principal / Charlestown Middle School

As Ben began to share his story, the entire gymnasium fell quiet. Every student was engaged in the message & you could've heard a pin drop. This speaks volumes to how impactful the message was to all...it is a rare occasion to have that kind of silence & involvement at a middle school assembly!

The message was so powerful & life changing for our staff & students.

Teacher / Thomas Jefferson Elementary School

Ben & Crystal deliver a genuine, heartfelt & powerful message that connects with and applies to all ages.

As a school, we are incorporating their message of kindness with our character building program, using their resources, language and hand motions to keep this initiative going. The LOOK OUT FOR THE LEFT OUT message has already led to some great conversations among the students and I look forward to watching this become a part of our school culture.

Principal / Morgan Elementary School

Ben & Crystal have been a blessing & inspiration to me as they navigate their grief, & now as I navigate my own. As an elementary school principal, I am always looking for ways to encourage, inspire, & nurture the precious gifts that have been entrusted to me.

As Ben & Crystal shared sweet Calla’s story, the students and staff were captivated by their message of love, forgiveness, & inclusion. They are living examples of what it looks like to look out for the left out, to love well, & to live bravely & courageously.

Calla’s Kindergarten Teacher / Grant Line Elementary

If you are in need of a pick-me-up or just all-around positive message, let Ben & Crystal share their family story. As parents who have experienced the greatest of losses, they can deliver a strong message of overcoming grief & finding the positives to carry you through. LOOK OUT FOR THE LEFT OUT is a message all kids should hear. It is a great way to spread hope, friendship & kindness!

PTO President / Floyds Knobs Elementary

We were incredibly honored to have Ben & Crystal share sweet Calla's story with our Kindness Club at Floyds Knobs Elementary. Our students are so encouraged to "LOOK OUT FOR THE LEFT OUT" & spread kindness through our school & community.

Calla is an inspiration to all and we love seeing the impact she is having on our school family. We highly recommend this program for everyone & know the message will carry on in the hearts & actions of all who experience this great ripple of Calla.

Principal / Grant Line Elementary School

As a building administrator, I noticed the negative impact Covid made on the social skills of students. I noticed students needed more training on how to handle upsets and how to show compassion for one another. LOFTLO provided an inspiring presentation that helped students see the huge, positive impact they could make on the world through a simple act of kindness and through making connections with others.

Assistant Guidance Counselor / Frontier Jr./Sr. High School

I have known Ben & Crystal since college & have followed their story through social media. When I saw on their website that they were doing school assemblies, I knew I had to get them to Frontier. As the assistant to the guidance counselor, we see how students need to be reminded how much kindness matters. The message of Look Out for the Left Out truly resonated with the 7th, 8th & 9th grade students at Frontier Jr/Sr High School and the 3rd, 4th & 6th at Frontier Elementary. The Q & A time with the students was absolutely priceless! It was amazing to see how much the students were engaged in the LOFTLO message & how much they wanted to join in with the mission! Ben & Crystal have such a gift in sharing Calla's story & the mission of Team Woods. I would highly recommend every school hosting the Woods family & hearing the message of kindness & Look Out For The Left Out.

1st Grade Teacher / North Harrison Elementary School

The mission of the Brave Way Home has become an important part of our school culture following Ben’s message. Calla's story captivated our 500+ students to give their full attention to the way she lived on mission. Specifically, the message of LOFTLO had a deep impact on not only our students, but even our staff members. It has been an honor to tell my students about Calla and LOFTLO and share with them the personal impact Calla had on my life. LOFTLO has become an important part of our class and integral in how we operate as a class family. Team Woods brought such an important message to our students, and it has eternally impacted the way they treat one another. The message of LOFTLO is something that both students & adults need to be reminded of. I am grateful for how it has become the heartbeat of my classroom.

2nd Grade Teacher / Rock Creek Community Academy

I had heard Calla's story and then had the privilege of meeting Ben and Crystal in person. As they told of Calla's love of making slime to support kids in Romania, her desire to befriend those children who are sometimes left out or not always quick to be included in a friend group at school, I knew I needed to invite them to bring her message to my elementary school. Ben & Crystal visited my school & shared Calla’s story of friendship & acceptance of others with our K-5 students. It was a wonderful lesson that all school-age students need to hear & put into practice themselves! It has the power to change the whole mindset of an elementary group!

They also took a chance on us & graciously spent a couple hours afterward to help our students make slime! We wanted to help them make slime to later sell in support of Casa Calla & for our students to know the joy of volunteering & helping in our community. It was a pleasure working with them and I hope to do so again in the near future! I was impressed with how organized & meticulous their planning was. They made it easy and our students will carry the message of Look Out for the Left Out for years to come!

3rd Grade Teacher / Rock Creek Community Academy

It was a privilege to have Ben & Crystal Woods visit our school to share their all important message to “look out for the left out”. Our 3rd-5th graders had a blast creating the slime. Seeing the students’ faces light up while they worked together kneading the slime was thrilling. The message Ben gave the kids was inspiring and set the stage for the rest of the year of the importance of being kind to each other.

Teacher / Northaven Elementary School

As a teacher I teach many things, but one thing we always focus on is showing & sharing kindness to build students’ brains & hearts. The message of Calla’s heart that Ben & Crystal shared was inspiring & motivating for the students at our school as they navigate family life, school life, & growing up. Even our youngest students were captivated by the message of keeping our hearts, eyes, & hands open to love those around us on their best & worst days.

Look Out For The Left Out is a beautiful reminder of Calla’s Legacy & the impact kindness can have on those who show & receive it.

Teacher / Thomas Jefferson Elementary School

It was a wonderful experience having Ben & Crystal Woods visit our school to share their message of how to Look Out for the Left Out. It is such a powerful & important message that our younger generations need to hear, & it truly made a lasting impression on our students, as well as our staff. The story of their daughter's passion for helping others has opened up opportunities for our teachers & staff to have deeper conversations with our students about how to be kind & truly look out for each other. The Woods family also provided the language and tools needed to implement their message of kindness & inclusion into our daily school culture.

Principal / Waverly Elementary School

Our school has a focus of being KIND towards others. Last year, we gave out kindness cards when we saw students showing kindness. This year, having Ben & Crystal share Calla’s story was a fantastic way to start off the school year and to help our students see how powerful showing kindness to others can be…even here in Waverly. Our students enjoyed hearing about Calla’s Slime Shop and how she focused on helping others.

Ben & Crystal did an amazing job of talking with students in the classrooms; they got down on their level and answered their questions. They showed genuine concern for our students - actively listening and living out their message.

Assistant Principal / Rock Creek Community Academy

The elementary students at Rock Creek had the pleasure of hearing from Ben & Crystal as we kicked off our school year. As a school with a strong Character Counts program, Look Out for the Left Out is an important concept that we want all of our students to embrace. Our students and staff were left inspired, encouraged, and motivated to follow Calla's mission.

Principal / Thomas Jefferson Elementary School

We enjoyed having Ben & Crystal here for our first assembly of the year. Every Monday morning during our school-wide family time we review the message and the students now lead us in our kindness motto and can tell us what it means. Your message has made a difference in our school thus far and we are eager to continue to use the message throughout the year.