Building Student Leaders Through a P2 Leadership Club

This blog was written by Cassandra Bachmann, elementary school counselor at Pitts School Road Elementary in Concord, North Carolina. With 13 years of experience in education, including 10 years as a classroom teacher and three years as a school counselor, Cassandra brings a deep commitment to supporting the whole child through character development and academic growth.

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Beginning during the 2024–2025 school year and continuing into 2025–2026, a P2 Leadership Club was created and facilitated at Pitts School Road Elementary for students in grades four and five. The purpose of the club was to provide students with opportunities to develop leadership skills while promoting the core tenets of The Positivity Project (P2) within the school. The club revolves around students having a voice in leadership decisions, encouraging service-minded leadership, and strengthening a positive, caring school culture.

Laying the Foundation for Student Leadership

Participation in the P2 Leadership Club was determined through a completed application process. Interested fourth- and fifth-grade students explained why they believed they were leaders and what they could contribute to the club in promoting P2 ideas. Teachers provided input, and parents reviewed and signed each application prior to submission.

To ensure a fair selection process, applications were scored by two separate reviewers. The top ten students were selected and received a letter of congratulations welcoming them into the P2 Leadership Club.

Empowering Students to Lead the Work

The P2 Leadership Club meets once a week for 25 minutes. Meetings include reflection, team planning, and action steps. Each meeting begins with a celebration of something that has gone well, either personally or within the school setting. Students reflect on how these positive moments connect to P2 character strengths, reinforcing how The Positivity Project can be found in everyday experiences. Giving students a voice is a key component of the club.

Early in the year, members brainstormed ways they could positively impact the school and local community. One of the first projects students designed was a school-wide banner connecting P2 principles to Pitts School Road Elementary. Students worked collaboratively to develop ideas and visuals that reflected both P2 values and school pride. The completed banner is displayed in the hallway as a visible reminder of the school’s commitment to building positive character and living out the character strengths emphasized in The Positivity Project.

Serving the Community: Winter Drive Success

Students expressed interest in completing a service project, which led to organizing a winter items drive benefiting a local homeless shelter. Club members identified community needs and selected winter essentials as the focus of the drive.

Items collected included socks, gloves, hats, scarves, and toiletries such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, hairbrushes, and deodorant. To increase school-wide participation, grade bands (K/1, 2/3, 4/5) competed to collect the most donations.

As a result, more than 300 items were collected. The winning grade band was announced on the morning news, along with an explanation of how the drive reflected P2 character strengths such as kindness, generosity, and service.

Spreading Encouragement Through Service

Following the winter drive, students completed an origami heart project in partnership with a local church delivering Christmas gifts to a nearby nursing home. With approximately 50 residents receiving gifts, students created more than 50 origami hearts, each featuring a positive and encouraging message.

This project provided students with a meaningful opportunity to practice empathy and compassion while serving the community.

Supporting School-wide Initiatives

In addition to service projects, P2 Leadership Club members supported school-wide initiatives. Students contributed ideas and helped brainstorm the schoolwide project-based learning experience known as the P2 Zoo.

This project involved K–5 students creating zoo animals that represented P2 character strengths, with expectations for each grade level building upon the previous. Students connected details about their zoo animal to a P2 character strength — including the type of animal, its associated character strength, what it likes to eat, its habitat, what it likes to do, and a fun fact.

Students also created P2-themed bookmarks that were hidden throughout the media center for students to discover when checking out books. This allowed leadership students to promote positive messages connected to The Positivity Project in a creative way.

Additionally, members take turns creating short videos for the morning news focused on regulation strategies and P2 character strengths. Students record their voices, which are transformed into AI-generated animal characters that deliver their messages. This has been highly engaging and allows leadership members to teach and model important skills for their peers in a creative and relevant way.

Leadership in Action at School Events

Beyond weekly meetings, P2 Leadership Club members have taken on leadership roles during school events. During Career Day, student leaders created flyers encouraging families and community members to volunteer, served as the welcoming committee, assisted presenters with setup, helped create posters highlighting various careers, and supported breakfast setup and service for volunteers. Students were encouraged to present themselves professionally and represent their school with pride.

Looking Ahead: Future Initiatives

Students have generated several ideas for future initiatives, including:

• A P2 Spirit Week

• A parent breakfast to showcase the club’s work and reinforce family involvement

• A secret kindness week for staff

• A school-wide letter-writing initiative for children in hospitals

• An affirmation station bulletin board where students and staff can take positive messages as needed

Building Student Leaders Through Character Strengths

Overall, the P2 Leadership Club has provided meaningful opportunities for students to practice leadership, service, and collaboration while deepening their understanding of P2 character strengths. The club has positively impacted both participating students and the broader school community. It also reflects Pitts School Road Elementary’s commitment to social-emotional learning and developing thoughtful, caring student leaders through the core tenets of The Positivity Project.