Today our guest is Lemar Wilson, Educational Leader at Uplifting Minds Enterprise. We talk to Lemar about the importance of fostering a culture of mindfulness and intentionality before engaging with technology. He highlights the significant influence phones can have on our lives and shares strategies he has used to help students rethink their relationship with technology and focus on personal growth. Lemar shares that by reframing how they engage with their devices, we can help students to develop healthier habits and a more balanced approach to digital consumption.

Learn More About CharacterStrong:

• Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples
• Attend our next live product preview
• Visit the CharacterStrong Website

Growing up in Queens, NY with six siblings in a single-parent home, Lemar Wilson learned to be a vocal speaker early in life. Despite his passion for the music industry, it became apparent to him that God had other plans. After losing his best friend to cancer and witnessing his childhood friends make various bad life choices, he developed a love for empowering people to become the best version of themselves.

Lemar obtained a degree in Criminal Justice and Business Management and worked in Customer Service and Sales in Corporate America for over 15 years. He welcomed the opportunity to serve the public positively and realized he wanted to be part of the solution rather than the problem. As a result, he began speaking to the youth to uplift, motivate, and promote healthy lifestyle changes. He has created numerous videos on social media and has made guest appearances on numerous podcasts. He reaches out to the public not only through social media but also in schools and corporate events.

Through successful mentoring, Lemar has educated, uplifted, and motivated students and adults to reach their full potential through personal development. His personal, professional, and educational background gives him the skills to not only be a great salesperson but to also motivate people from all walks of life. Lemar offers guidance to build up confidence, promote awareness, and motivate. He provides consulting services for current and past students on mental health, personal growth, and relationship development. He has the keys to living a fulfilled life, both professionally and personally.

Today our guests are Kate Nichols, and Jill Gleason, School Counselor & Intervention Director at Beaver Valley Elementary in Brush, Colorado. We talk to Kate and Jill about ways that they integrate their current PBIS system at Beaver Valley Elementary with curriculum like CharacterStrong. They share about the PBIS matrix that they use for their school and share how they are combining it with the traits “Be Well”, “Be Strong”, and “Be Kind” from the PurposeFull People curriculum along with other elements like morning meetings. Kate and Jill also talk about how they intentionally take the time to pre-correct expectations are as they interact in the different spaces of the school and how this can work for students of any age.

Learn More About CharacterStrong:

• Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples
• Attend our next live product preview
• Visit the CharacterStrong Website

Bio: Hi! We are Kate Nichols and Jill Gleason. Combined we have worked in education for forty years, with thirty-four of those years at our current school, Beaver Valley Elementary. Kate has taught 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, Intervention and is currently the school counselor. Jill was a third grade teacher for twenty years, has been an interventionist, and is currently the intervention director.

Today our guest is Dr. Cynthia “Mama J” Johnson - Educator Consultant, Author, and speaker with a message of HOPE. We talk to Dr. Johnson about the vital role of school, family, and community partnerships in education. She emphasizes the need for a new approach to transform our education system from a "village of despair" to a "village of hope." She shares that by fostering intentional partnerships among schools, families, and communities, we can build stronger relationships and create positive change. Dr. Johnson, affectionately known as Mama J, also highlights the importance of involving families in the educational process to improve student outcomes.

Learn More About CharacterStrong:

• Join us at the 2024 CharacterStrong National Conference
• Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples
• Attend our next live product preview
• Visit the CharacterStrong Website

Dr. Cynthia "Mama J" Johnson is an educator, speaker, consultant, and author. She began her educational journey in 1987, working in K-12 schools in rural, suburban, and urban environments as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal, professional development coordinator, adjunct professor, director of alternative education, and executive director (until June 2024). Since 1993, Mama J has served as an educational consultant, working with districts across the county. Her research and work focuses on school connectedness and belongingness, reaching and teaching diverse student populations, effectively educating students who live in poverty, school-family-community partnerships; and disrupting, interrupting, and dismantling barriers to changing student outcomes for marginalized, underserved, and underrepresented youth. Mama J keeps it real, tells it like it is, and lets her light shine wherever she goes.