Linden Student Leaders Break Barriers at Kean University Leadership Conference
Superintendent Perkins’ new SSLT initiative gives students a direct voice in leadership, advocacy, and shaping the future of Linden Public Schools.
LINDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NJ — Last month, members of Linden Public Schools’ newly launched Superintendent’s Student Leadership Team (SSLT) arrived at Kean University ready to do more than attend a conference. They came prepared to listen, question, engage, and grow.
Created this school year by Superintendent Dr. Atiya Y. Perkins, the SSLT is a new districtwide student leadership initiative bringing together 24 students from grades 6–12 at Soehl Middle School, McManus Middle School, and Linden High School. Designed to elevate student voice and develop future-ready leaders, the program focuses on emotional intelligence, communication, advocacy, service, and authentic student engagement.
On Friday, April 24, SSLT students joined more than 300 high school and college students from across New Jersey at the 3rd Annual Breaking Barriers Conference, a dynamic youth-led gathering focused on leadership, advocacy, social impact, and future career pathways in health and justice.
Held inside Kean University’s cutting-edge STEM Building, the conference transformed classrooms and lecture halls into vibrant spaces for dialogue, discovery, and empowerment. Hosted by the House of Hearts Network Foundation in partnership with the Lesniak Institute for American Leadership, the 2026 conference centered on the theme: “Pathways Into Health & Justice.”
But the day was about more than careers.
It was about breaking limitations, confronting difficult social realities, and encouraging students to step boldly into leadership.
A Conference Built Around Courageous Conversations
Throughout the day, SSLT students participated in interactive workshops and panel discussions led by influential organizations including Make the Road New Jersey, New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, and Garden State Equality.
The sessions challenged students to think critically about healthcare access, justice reform, educational equity, identity, public service, and the societal barriers many communities continue to face. Organizers encouraged participants to engage in what they described as “unwanted conversations” — difficult but necessary discussions surrounding inequality, opportunity, leadership, and systemic change.
For Linden’s SSLT students, the experience aligned directly with the vision Superintendent Perkins had in mind when she launched the initiative earlier this year.
“The SSLT is about preparing students to lead with empathy, courage, and purpose,” Perkins said. “We want them to understand that leadership means being willing to listen deeply, think critically, engage with complex issues, and use their voices to make a difference.”
From Student Voice to Student Leadership
The SSLT is guided by seven core leadership actions:
Listen. Empower. Advocate. Demonstrate. Elevate. Relate. Serve.
The Breaking Barriers Conference brought those principles to life in real time.
Students networked with peers from across the state, connected with professionals and advocates, and explored pathways into careers that impact communities and change lives. They also witnessed the power of youth leadership on full display — students asking difficult questions, sharing lived experiences, and speaking openly about the challenges facing their generation.