The Kind of Leader Every School Needs

As the school year ramps up again, it’s important to remember how much kids need to learn what real leadership looks like. Leadership means not feeling pressured to do the same thing everyone else is doing. It means being willing to step up, do what’s right, and make someone else feel valued.

Be the student who is kind when others are making fun of someone. You never know what another person may be going through. Don’t laugh along when someone is being put down just to get a reaction. Be the friend who steps in when someone else is having a tough time. Whether it’s in the classroom, on the field, or in the hallways, those small choices matter.

Last school year, I was brought into a school in North Jersey to speak specifically about lifting others up instead of tearing them down. There was a strong bullying culture, and the environment had become toxic. One of the things I emphasized was that behavior is learned. Kids often model what they see from the adults and people around them, which makes it even more important for us to set the right example.

I shared examples from professional sports and talked about athletes like Aaron Judge. Great teammates don’t make the people around them feel small. They encourage, support, and challenge others in a way that helps the whole team get better. That’s what leadership should look like in a school too.

This is also the message I’m bringing into schools this year. Through my elementary, middle school, and high school programs, I talk with students about leadership, kindness, perseverance, and making a positive impact on the people around them.