On Wednesday, April 9, the gymnasium at School No. 6 transformed into a stage of positivity, purpose, and pure fun as the high-energy team from Lead U delivered two unforgettable assemblies aimed at empowering students with kindness, confidence, and critical life skills.
๐ก๐ผ๐ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐น๐
With upbeat music pumping, students clapping in rhythm, and team chants echoing off the walls, this wasn't your typical school assembly. ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ โ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ-๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ค, ๐ฅ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ก, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ.
"Clock's ticking, sir!" the presenters shouted โ and the kids shouted it right back, their eyes wide, their minds focused. They were ready.
๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ฆ
Leading the charge was Connor Effenberger, a former teacher and now Program Manager for Lead U. But Connor wasn't alone. He was joined by a trio of energetic, playful, and wildly theatrical sidekicks, each bringing their comedic flair and charisma to the performance. Together, the team acted out emotional scenarios, danced through lessons, and pulled students into scenes that felt like part Broadway, part classroom, and all heart.
And it wasn't just the students who got in on the fun โ even the teachers were recruited into the action, jumping into segments with over-the-top poses, silly challenges, and bursts of spontaneous dance, all to the absolute delight of their students who cheered, clapped, and laughed at seeing their favorite grownups let loose.
๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ค๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐
"Lead U started nearly ten years ago with a simple mission โ to help students become better people," said Effenberger. "We focus on social-emotional learning, conflict resolution, and kindness. For our younger students, that means learning how to regulate their big emotions. For older students, it's about learning how to resolve conflict and when to ask for help."
๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ฒ
The morning kicked off with an assembly for kindergarten through second-grade students, focusing on โbig feelingsโ โ like happy, sad, mad, and excited โ and how to handle them. Through imaginative breathing exercises, call-and-response games, theatrical role plays, and team-building activities, students were taught that it's okay to feel big things โ and that they have the power within themselves to calm down, show empathy, and spread kindness.
They even got to shout out their classmates for acts of kindness, reinforcing the message that you are not alone โ and that support, friendship, and care are always close by.
๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ญ, ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฒ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ค๐ข๐ง๐
Then came the upper grades. Third through fifth graders engaged in conversations about conflict resolution โ how to solve problems independently and when it's time to reach out to a trusted adult. The Lead U team didnโt just discuss it โ they performed it. Whether mimicking awkward social interactions, dancing through challenging moments, or hilariously acting out what not to do, the team turned every moment into an opportunity for students to laugh, reflect, and learn.
๐ ๐ฎ๐ง ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ
At the heart of Lead Uโs philosophy is this simple truth: learning is most effective when students are having fun. "You've got to give them a little sugar to help the medicine go down," said Effenberger with a grin. And with that, students were up on their feet again, giggling through games, dancing in their seats, and unknowingly internalizing lifelong lessons.
๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ญ-๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐
According to Ryan M. Devaney, Supervisor of Student Services, the assemblies are part of Linden Public Schoolsโ district-wide anti-bullying initiative, a proactive approach to shaping a more compassionate and emotionally intelligent student body. In fact, the Lead U team isnโt done yet.
"Next up, theyโll bring the same energy and insight to School No. 9 on Tuesday, April 15, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.," Devaney shared. "Itโs all part of our effort to give students the tools they need to build stronger relationships, resolve conflicts peacefully, and treat one another with kindness."
๐๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐๐
From deep belly laughs to deep breaths, from student leaders to dancing teachers, Lead Uโs assemblies at School No. 6 celebrated voice, agency, and emotional growth. The message was loud and clear: even the youngest learners can be leaders โ of their emotions, choices, and futures.
๐๐๐?
๐๐๐!
๐๐ก๐๐ญโ๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ฉ.