At the May 29 Board of Education meeting, 11 Linden High School juniors were honored as trailblazers of a new kind of leadership—one that promotes wellness, positive relationships, and peer empowerment through the 𝙔𝙀𝙎 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙎𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝘼𝙢𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙧 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙢.
Spearheaded in 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙅𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙮 𝙋𝙝𝙮𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙥, the initiative is a bold step in recognizing that young people don’t have to wait to make a difference. As 𝗔𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲noted during the recognition ceremony:
“𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰—𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲.”
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐄𝐒 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝟏𝟏𝐭𝐡-𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠, 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬. Rooted in values like healthy decision-making, character development, goal-setting, and building meaningful relationships, the program has helped cultivate a community of young leaders committed to transforming their school from the inside out.
𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬
Over the course of the school year, these student ambassadors participated in intensive leadership training, health education workshops, and a two-and-a-half-day leadership camp, where they deepened their understanding of peer leadership and personal growth.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗬𝗘𝗦 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝗺𝗯𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲:
• 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗮 𝗚𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗹
• 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗸
• 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗶 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗮
• 𝗞𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗠𝗰𝗥𝗮𝗲
• 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝗱𝗴𝗲
• 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗮 𝗣𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗲𝘇
• 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗮𝗲𝘇
• 𝗝𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗹𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘇
• 𝗔𝗵𝗳𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗱
• 𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗵 𝗥𝗼𝘀𝘀
• 𝗝𝗮𝘆𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝗶𝗹 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗺𝗮𝗻
“These students have stepped forward as role models,” Firestone said. “They are leading by example, and the impact is being felt throughout our school community.”
𝐀 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭
Firestone thanked Barbara Brady, Supervisor of Health, Physical Education, and Medical Personnel, for her leadership in guiding the program. He also acknowledged the contributions of educators Marissa DelloRusso, Kelly Gonzalez, Erin Batz, and the entire team of ROTC, Health, and Physical Education teachers, crediting them with recognizing the leadership potential in each student and nurturing it every step of the way.
The district also extended deep appreciation to the New Jersey Physicians Advisory Group, whose support has been instrumental in bringing the vision to life. Special thanks were given to Peggy Cowan, President, and Claudy Antoine, Director of the NJPAG, for their commitment to student development and health education.
“This program is not just about a few students taking part in some workshops,” Firestone emphasized.
“It is about building a culture of leadership, wellness, and personal responsibility—qualities that will ripple outward and help shape the future of our school and our city.”
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐟: 𝐘𝐞𝐬, 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐂𝐚𝐧
At the end of his remarks, Firestone reminded the room that the title of the program wasn’t just a slogan—it was a message, a mission, and a movement:
“The name of the program says it all—YES You Can. And to our students, staff, and supporters—you certainly did.”