The Leadership Lab: Discover Your Leadership Powers with Creative Storytelling!
Get ready to discover the leader within you! The Leadership Lab is a hands-on, interactive program for 4th-6th graders that’s all about YOU—what’s important to you, your values, and how you connect, communicate, and collaborate with others. Through fun activities, creative storytelling, and meaningful conversations, you’ll explore what makes you unique while learning how to be a leader in today’s world.
We don’t believe in lectures or one-size-fits-all lessons. Instead, you’ll be at the center of the action—sharing your story, learning from your classmates, and building the skills that matter most: communication, teamwork, and a better understanding of yourself and others, all while developing literacy skills through the storytelling process. Whether we’re playing games, diving into group discussions, or working on creative projects, you’ll gain the tools to see the world from different perspectives and strengthen your relationships with others.
The Leadership Lab is part of StoryArk’s signature student-led, student-powered approach. That means your voice matters. Your ideas shape the experience. And your leadership journey starts here. Ready to lead the way?
In this 6 session classroom push-in programming, students dive into their creative potential, crafting original comic strips that vividly illustrate their unique leadership journeys. Through this innovative and empowering experience, they:
- Explore leadership through a “hero lens” by stepping into the role of storyteller.
- Hone their storytelling and literacy skills while crafting meaningful, engaging narratives.
- Reflect their values, challenges, and aspirations in personalized, imaginative tales.
Connect deeply to their leadership identities, unlocking the power of self-expression and creativity.
See overview of lessons below
Leadership Lab includes six lessons:
Click below to read about our lesson plans
Session 1: Who am I, and what is my origin story?
Every leader has a story—what’s yours? In this session, students explore their personal identities by reflecting on their experiences, backgrounds, hobbies, and influences. Through creative storytelling, they craft their own “hero’s origin story,” using comic strips to illustrate the traits, passions, and strengths that shape who they are.
Session 2: What matters to me, and how do I live it every day?
Our values shape our actions, guiding us in both ordinary moments and times of crisis. Heroes rely on their values when facing challenges, but true leaders use them every day—to inspire, guide others, and create lasting change.
In this session, students explore the role values play in leadership and everyday life. They’ll identify a personal value that defines them and use it as inspiration to craft a scene from their hero’s daily life.
Session 3: What does leadership mean to me, and how can I make a difference?
What makes a leader? In this session, students dive into the qualities that define both heroes and leaders, using discussions to explore:
- What leadership means and where we see it in action
- Situations where leaders are needed
- The characteristics of heroes and real-world leaders
- Leaders they personally know and admire
- Students then reflect on a time when they were leaders in their own lives, connecting their leadership style to a core value—like kindness, bravery, or perseverance.
Now, it’s time for their hero’s “Call to Action!” Students introduce a challenge their superhero must face.
Session 4: How do I express myself, and how do I tackle challenges?
Great leaders don’t just take action—they communicate effectively to inspire, organize, and connect with others. In this session, students will explore different leadership styles and how each one communicates. After identifying which leadership style they personally connect with, students return to their hero’s story, showing how their hero’s communication style helps resolve a challenge.
Session 5: What do I intend, and how does it actually impact others?
Even the best leaders sometimes face misunderstandings. In this session, students explore the difference between intent (what they mean to do) and impact (the actual affect their actions have on others), and how to recognize the difference. Then, students return to their hero’s story, adding a new comic panel showing how their hero’s actions—whether intentional or not—have an effect on the world around them. Does their hero’s decision make things better? Or does it create a new challenge they must face?
Session 6: What have I learned about myself, my peers, and the world around me?
Every leader’s journey leads to transformation. In this final session, students celebrate their leadership growth by sharing their comic strips and reflecting on their personal journeys. Through group discussions and presentations, they recognize how their leadership skills have evolved and leave with a deeper connection to their own power as changemakers in their classrooms and communities.
Testimonials
What our student’s and Teachers have to say..
For more information please contact Meghan at mbridges@storyark.org