Raising Kind Leaders

February shows up fast in schools. Hallways fill with hearts, classrooms buzz with Valentine’s Day plans and calendars quietly remind us that it’s also Black History Month. For many, this time of year can feel like a balancing act—honoring history while keeping lessons age‑appropriate, meaningful and engaging for kids.

Here’s the good news: Black History Month doesn’t have to feel heavy or complicated for elementary students. At its heart, it’s about raising kind leaders—kids who know how to stand up, speak up and show up for others in ways that matter right now.

Black history isn’t only found in textbooks or timelines. It lives in everyday actions: choosing fairness, helping others and doing what’s right even when it feels uncomfortable. When children understand that leadership starts with character, Black History Month becomes something they can live, not just learn.

Leadership Looks Different for Kids

Leadership in elementary school doesn’t come with a microphone or a stage. It shows up in small, everyday choices. It’s the student who invites someone new to sit at lunch, the child who speaks up when a classmate is treated unfairly, or the friend who helps without being asked.

When leadership is framed this way, kids begin to realize something powerful: They don’t have to wait until they’re older to make a difference. Leadership isn’t about being the loudest or the best. It’s about being thoughtful, kind and willing to act.

Black History Month Through a Kid‑Friendly Lens

Black History Month offers strong examples of leadership rooted in courage, service and care for others. While older students may study historical figures in depth, younger children benefit most from focusing on the values behind those stories. Concepts like courage, fairness, perseverance and compassion are easy for kids to understand—and to practice. These qualities help children see that leadership is not about perfection—it’s about effort, empathy and responsibility.

When parents and teachers focus on values instead of long biographies, kids connect more quickly. They begin asking thoughtful questions like, “How can I help?” or “What’s the right thing to do here?” That’s when learning sticks.

Teaching Kids to Lead with Kindness

Kind leadership doesn’t mean staying quiet or avoiding conflict. It means caring about others and having the courage to act on that care. For kids, that can look like using kind words, telling the truth, including others and standing up for fairness.

Kindness is a skill, and like any skill, it grows with practice. When adults model kindness and talk openly about it, children learn that leadership is something they can practice every day.

Why This Matters Beyond February

Black History Month gives us an important opportunity, but the lessons don’t stop when February ends. When kids learn to lead with kindness early, they carry those habits into friendships, classrooms and communities.

Raising kind leaders means teaching children that their voices matter, their choices matter, and their actions—no matter how small—can help shape the world around them.

This February, let’s move beyond memorizing names and dates. Let’s focus on building character, nurturing empathy and helping kids lead with kindness every day of the year. Because when children learn to stand up, speak up and show up for others, they’re already making history of their own.

Try This: Kind Leader Challenge

To bring these ideas to life, families and classrooms can try a simple Kind Leader Challenge during February. Each child chooses one way they will lead kindly for the week—helping a classmate, speaking up when something feels wrong, including someone new or offering encouragement.

Teachers can create a “Kind Leader Wall” to share examples, while families can talk about kind leadership at home.

The goal isn’t perfection—it’s awareness and effort. These small moments help kids see that leadership isn’t about recognition—it’s about responsibility.

Dr. Tamecca Rogers serves as Director of Student Access and Success at Tulsa Technology Center. An award-winning author and filmmaker, she is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in all her endeavors. Photo by Denice Toombs-Dotson with Lasting Impressions Photography.