LEAD Education Summit: Full Schedule

10:00am EDT

Understanding the Law: A Dive into Immigration Law for K-12 Educators and Staff

Monday July 27, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EDT

Increased immigration enforcement in our communities and on TV are greatly impacting the work of K-12 educators, staff, students, and their families. This presentation will share more about immigration law, ways immigrant families (and faculty/staff) can prepare in case of ICE enforcement, and the very important role K-12 educators play in supporting immigrant youth.

Speakers

Erin Sweeney

Monday July 27, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
Room 297

Policy & Community Partnerships

11:00am EDT

Reclaiming Wellness in Demanding Systems

Monday July 27, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am EDT

Room 297

Title: Reclaiming Wellness in Demanding Systems. Description: When wellness is treated as an individual responsibility rather than a system-level priority, schools experience increased burnout, turnover, and diminished student outcomes. This session invites school teams to rethink wellness as an intentional design choice embedded into daily practice.

Speakers

Tashia Martin

Monday July 27, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
Room 297

Wellness & Whole Child Development

12:00pm EDT

From Passive Learners to Student Leaders: How Project-Based Learning Builds Confidence, Voice, and Ownership

Monday July 27, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT

Room 297

At the start of a course, many students walk into class quietly, unsure of their voice and waiting to be told what to do. Yet when students have opportunities to investigate real problems, collaborate with peers, and present their ideas to authentic audiences, they begin to emerge as confident leaders of their own learning. This session introduces the Student Leadership PBL Cycle, a practical framework that helps educators transform passive classrooms into student-driven learning communities through project-based learning and cross-curricular collaboration. Participants will explore real-world capstone project examples, including student business pitches, community impact initiatives, and career-pathway research that integrate multiple subjects while building confidence, strengthening communication, and leadership skills. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to transform disengaged classrooms into environments where students develop their voice through meaningful project-based experiences.

Speakers

Tiescheka Stuart

Professional Educator, Roosevelt High School

Monday July 27, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT
Room 297

Innovation in Teaching & Learning Across Contexts

1:00pm EDT

Understanding the Law: A Dive into Immigration Law for K-12 Educators and Staff

Monday July 27, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT

Room 297

Speakers

Erin Sweeney

Monday July 27, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT
Room 297

Policy & Community Partnerships

2:00pm EDT

Farm to Table Summer Youth Employment Program

Monday July 27, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm EDT

Room 297

This session will highlight how the Essex County Schools of Technology designs and implements impactful Summer Youth Employment (SYEP) experiences that connect students to real-world career pathways in the Agriculture and Hospitality/Culinary Arts Pathways. Participants will explore how structured learning experiences, community partnerships, and workforce development strategies support student growth, equity, and career readiness. The presentation will share practical models, lessons learned, and scalable approaches that align education with industry needs while empowering youth through authentic work-based learning opportunities.

Speakers

Daniel Delcher

Agricultural Educator, Essex County Schools of Technology, New Jersey

Monday July 27, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm EDT
Room 297

Access & Equity Across Urban and Rural Schools

3:00pm EDT

The Power of Connection: Transforming Lives Through Relationships

Monday July 27, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm EDT

Room 297

The Power of Connection is a powerful, story-driven session inspired by Keshia’s childhood experiences and featured in collaboration with Crayola, centering the life-changing impact of meaningful relationships. Designed for educators, mentors, school leaders, caregivers, and community members committed to creating spaces where youth feel genuinely seen and valued, this session invites participants to reflect on the impact of being seen—and the consequences of not being seen. Grounded in personal narrative and professional experience, it explores how one meaningful relationship can shape a student’s sense of belonging, identity, and future trajectory. Participants will examine the ripple effect of connection across generations, recognizing how small, intentional actions can create lasting impact far beyond the classroom. Through reflection, storytelling, and a simple yet powerful framework—SEE → SUPPORT → SUSTAIN—attendees will leave with practical strategies to strengthen relationships, foster belonging, and create environments where both students and staff can thrive.

Speakers

Keshia Golding-Cooper

Monday July 27, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm EDT
Room 297

Innovation in Teaching & Learning Across Contexts

10:00am EDT

SMART Planning Beyond Graduation: Designing the High School Experience to Build Confidence, Clarity, and a Plan for Every Student

Tuesday July 28, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EDT

Room 297

High schools often graduate students with academic credits, but many leave without the confidence, clarity, and strategic plan needed to successfully navigate post-secondary pathways. This session presents a strength-based framework that integrates SMART planning into the high school experience to build these essential skills for all students, with a focus on underserved urban and rural communities. Attendees will explore how to embed structured opportunities for goal-setting, identity exploration, leadership development, SEL, and CTE alignment into daily schedules and counseling programs. The session emphasizes equity, access, and whole-child development, helping schools prepare students for college, career, workforce, and life beyond graduation.

Speakers

Shatiera Porte’e

Tuesday July 28, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
Room 297

Access & Equity Across Urban and Rural Schools

11:00am EDT

Among Us: Launching Into Gamified Experiential Learning

Tuesday July 28, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am EDT

Room 297

Join the multiplayer game of teamwork and betrayal. This flipped session immerses you in a real-life version of Among Us: think Escape Room meets Survivor and Clue. Learn how to seamlessly blend Gamification, Experiential Learning, 5E Instructional Model, Project Based Learning; Maslow, Bloom, Gardner, Pink, and more in an engaging, interactive environment. Will you complete the mission and discover the imposters before time is up? Rated T for Teen: contains scenes of animated violence.

Speakers

Stephanie Bradberry

Founder/Owner, Stephanie J. Bradberry LLC

Hey,

I'm Stephanie J. Bradberry, an experienced administrator, entrepreneur, and consultant with over 25 years developing, managing, and streamlining programs, projects, and deliverables in state, corporate, and private sectors. My business acumen led to offers from a U.S. President, Netflix... Read More →

Tuesday July 28, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
Room 297

Innovation in Teaching & Learning Across Contexts

12:00pm EDT

Empowering Educators as Mental Health Accomplices: Trauma-Informed Tools for the Classroom and Beyond

Tuesday July 28, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT

Room 297

This interactive session equips educators with trauma-informed strategies to support student mental health—especially in under-resourced urban and rural schools. Participants will learn how to recognize signs of emotional distress, respond with empathy and boundaries, and integrate mental wellness practices into daily classroom routines. The presentation will highlight how systemic barriers like the digital divide and socioeconomic stressors impact student behavior and learning, and offer practical tools to foster resilience, connection, and healing. Educators will leave with actionable techniques to become mental health allies—without needing to be therapists.

Speakers

Kristina M. Odumes

Tuesday July 28, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT
Room 297

Wellness & Whole Child Development

1:00pm EDT

From Survival to Strategy: Building Whole-Child Pathways That Prepare Youth for Life, Not Just Graduation

Tuesday July 28, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT

Room 297

Students cannot be prepared for careers, leadership, or adulthood while operating in survival mode. This session explores how schools and community partners can move beyond fragmented support systems toward integrated, whole-child pathways that support mental health, identity development, and workforce readiness simultaneously. Drawing from real-world experience working with students in temporary housing and under-resourced urban schools, this presentation examines the limitations of treating wellness as an add-on and workforce preparation as a standalone goal. Participants will learn how embedding emotional regulation, mentorship, and career exposure into the school experience creates sustainable outcomes for students across urban and rural contexts. The session offers practical frameworks and examples for building systems that support students not just to graduate, but to thrive beyond the classroom.

Speakers

Shannon Morris

Tuesday July 28, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT
Room 297

Workforce Development & Living Wages for All Communities

2:00pm EDT

Be Do Feel: From Shutting Down to Showing Up

Tuesday July 28, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm EDT

Room 297

Many students struggle to show up consistently and push through challenges, often shutting down or disengaging when faced with difficulty. This session introduces the BeDoFeel Framework, a practical approach that helps educators build student resilience through identity (Be), intentional action and goal-directed behavior (Do), and emotional awareness (Feel). Participants will learn how to support students in clarifying who they want to become, identifying the actions needed to reach their goals, and managing emotions that interfere with follow-through.

Speakers