Growing Student Leaders: The P2 Cardinal Ambassadors at A.T. Allen

This article was written by Melissa Guenther, School Counselor at A.T. Allen Elementary School in Cabarrus County Schools in North Carolina. Melissa is in her 11th year as an elementary school counselor in the district, and she helps lead the school’s P2 Cardinal Ambassadors Club. This 5th-grade leadership group greets students at arrival and runs the morning announcements.

This year at A.T. Allen Elementary School, 5th graders have been stepping up to show their leadership skills through The Positivity Project (P2) Cardinal Ambassadors Club. Responsible 5th graders are chosen to be part of this club and are expected to complete daily activities that build positive connections among students.

How Ambassadors Are Chosen

The 5th graders are chosen based on teacher input and student survey responses. Cardinal Ambassadors must demonstrate integrity in all areas of the school, kindness for other students and staff members, teamwork when completing their job responsibilities and tasks, and leadership throughout the school day.

Mornings at the Front Door

The P2 Cardinal Ambassadors have designated areas in the school building where they greet students in the morning, walk younger students to class, and encourage students who may not be having a good start to their day. One Cardinal Ambassador said:

I love this job because I get to say hi to everyone in the morning and meet new people.

That enthusiasm has helped new students feel welcomed in our building and has increased her own confidence.

Two of our ambassadors are stationed at the front door during arrival. Both have been at our school since kindergarten, and both have always been respectful, caring students who do the right thing. This year we have watched them grow into the role. At first they were quiet and nervous about greeting all of the students. They came out of their shells quickly and can now be seen high-fiving, giving hugs, cheering for students, and calling students by name. They own that space now.

At the beginning of the year, those two had the big task of walking nervous, crying kindergarten students to class, along with students who have special needs. They became those students’ safe person. The kindergarten students are independent now, and they still look for the two ambassadors and get excited to see them. Whenever we ask if they are ready to switch to another position, they always say no.

It has been wonderful to see these two students’ self-confidence grow. They feel proud of the difference they have made, and they feel a strong sense of purpose coming to school every day.

Leading the Morning Announcements

The Cardinal Ambassadors have also taken on the morning announcements. Each morning, fifth-grade representatives highlight the week’s character strength and give their peers ways to use that strength in daily life. The job gives our ambassadors a chance to find their own leadership voices.

The two students who run the announcements did not always agree on how to present them to the school. They worked through it with respectful discussions that led to compromise. Along the way, they learned how to think about a situation from another person’s perspective, and they built problem-solving skills they will use the next time they disagree with someone.

Once a Month, the Whole Club Meets

Once a month, the Cardinal Ambassadors Club meets to complete a P2 project-based learning activity, manage the P2 bulletin board, or plan a kindness activity they can bring back to their regular classrooms. Students share ways they have used character strengths in the classroom and how we can help others do the same. Each meeting ends with a P2 mindful moment to transition back to class.

How Staff Support the Ambassadors

Teachers and staff support the Cardinal Ambassadors by encouraging them during their morning responsibilities, praising their hard work at our Cardinal Ambassador celebrations, and building positive connections with these students throughout the building.

What the Ambassadors Have Changed

The Cardinal Ambassadors have improved our school climate by being in the hallways at arrival to greet every student and help them start the day well. They have given this school a welcoming and caring feel, and younger students look up to them as role models. Their work in the hallways each morning has made a large school feel safe and warm, and younger students have gained confidence and independence from those interactions.

It has been something to watch these 5th graders develop confidence, leadership, and responsibility over the course of a year. The whole school looks forward to seeing what comes next!