Welcome to the Inspirations page – a page dedicated to sharing the fun and creative ways teachers are teaching and incorporating Lead ‘Em Up into their schools.
We will be updating this page regularly so check back often to gain inspiration for your classroom.
(Request: if you are doing something fun and creative in your Lead ‘Em Up Class, we’d love to hear from you so we can include your work in the Inspiration page. Please email us at info@leademup.com)
Keychains
Coach Smorse from Quince Orchard High School creates laminated keychain tags for her students after each of their Lead ‘Em Up classroom teachings.
She simply prints the logo and one of the exercise social graphics, laminates them, punches a hole, and distributes them out.
She’s provided the students with small keychain rings so they can go on their backpacks.
Simple yet powerful.
Toy Story – Green Team Edition
Holland and Nathan from Carterville High School in Illinois designed a creative Green Verified Toy Story cover and had their students watch Toy Story and pull out all the Green, Gray and Red moments from the characters.
A fun way to deepen the theme of the Green Team and allow the message to be reinforced in a fun way.
Who Doesn’t Love a Good Cookie?
Lebanon CUSD in Illinois took the saying “you deserve a cookie” to the next level by making co-branded cookies and giving them out to their students. The cookies were a big hit helping continue the Lead ‘Em Up momentum around the school.
Green News
Ryan Vinzant from La Crescent Hokah School in Minnesota has his students look for Green news stories and write 1-page Green essays on them. On each of the essays, they share the story and source and the correlation between the story and the Green Team.
Assignment Overview
Here is the assignment overview which Ryan was gracious enough to share:
Your task is to find a news article that relates to an example of a person/people demonstrating the “Green Team” principles. This can be from CNN, News8, WXOW, NPR, etc. Be sure that your article comes from a credible source.
- Include the following on a separate google document:
- Name of the publication or news agency that produced the article.
- Date of publication or article.
- (10 pts) Summary: Summarize the article or news release in one paragraph (4-5 sentences)
- (10 pts) Reaction: Pick ONE of the following two topics to react to your article. (3-4 sentences)
- Describe: Describe how the article affects you personally
OR - Explain: Explain your opinion concerning the information (good or bad)
- Describe: Describe how the article affects you personally
- (20 pts) Correlation: Relate the article to what we have discussed in class as to what it means/looks like to be a Green leader. This can be characteristics they displayed, excellent communication and why, etc. Give reasoning of why it relates to leadership. Provide specific examples from the article. (4 sentences)
Other Reminders:
- Please attach the article or publication to your paper. (attaching the link will work fine)
- Please share electronically with the teacher via google classroom. There will be an ongoing assignment at the top of the Classwork tab on google classroom where you will be able to submit this.
- MUST BE TYPED!!!!
- Each class day, we will randomly select one student to go, so be prepared!! (10 pts) for sharing on the day that you are selected.
- This will start next week during class.
Examples of News Articles to use
See an example below from one of their students.
Completed Assignment Example
A volunteer collective is setting up free pay phones in Philadelphia
By Zoe Sottile, CNN
Published 10:04 AM EST, Sun December 4, 2022
PhilTel is a volunteer organization launched in June that is trying to bring payphones back to the city without having to pay. One of the organization’s founders, Mike Dank, says though cell phones are widespread, not everyone has one, or is able to keep up with the payments for one. He believes free use of payphones helps people who don’t have access to phones. Dank wants to install a free payphone in every Philadelphia neighborhood so no matter where you are you are within walking distance from one.
I believe this is a very good idea. Some people are not as fortunate so it is very nice to give them communication for free. Having to pay to make a phone call is not a necessary investment, so having these phones for free helps many people. This could make people that don’t have access to phones be able to communicate with family and friends.
I think PhilTel has a very green Idea. They are putting others’ needs before their own. Phil Tel is an organization meaning they have a group of green people and the more people on a green team the easier it is to build the team. I feel the payphones will help spread green characteristics because some people might want to be kind after seeing this kind deed. I think Mike Dank also showed leadership by helping organize this volunteer program.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/04/us/philadelphia-pay-phones-philtel-trnd/index.html
Full School Verification Ceremonies
White River Valley in Vermont hosts full school Verification assemblies for each of their verifications where they verify both students AND teachers. Including the teachers in the verifications has had a major impact on strengthening the student-teacher relationship, generating greater teacher buy-in on the curriculum, and improving the overall school culture.
Green Team Shirts
In many schools, the faculty have printed special Lead ‘Em Up and/or Green Team shirts. These are always a big hit and do a great job of generating momentum and excitement in the schools.
Green Money Wall
When you are Green, we say you are “money” – it’s a youthful slang for being “awesome” and “special”
At Carterville High School in Illinois, they created their Green Money wall for the students to take pictures in front of once they get Verified.
