Hello, friends. Welcome to the Bright Morning podcast. I'm your host, Elena Aguilar. And in each podcast

episode, you'll hear me demonstrate how you can lead conversations that build connection and spark change.

As we approach the end of another school year, I want to talk about something that's often

overlooked in our schools and organizations, which is the power of celebrating successes

in community. And I'm not just talking about your typical Teacher of the Year awards or

recognitions for the highest test scores, but meaningful celebrations that honor everyone's

growth, contributions, and unique journeys. This topic is especially close to my heart, because

my own school experiences rarely included celebrations that acknowledged my growth or strengths.

Probably like many of you, I was a solid B-minus C-plus student.

I worked hard and I made progress, but I wasn't at the top of my class academically.

Those end-of-year award ceremonies typically celebrated the same handful of students year after year, while the rest of us watched from the audience.

As educators and leaders, we have the opportunity to create different experiences, ones that fill everyone's resilience tanks rather than depleting them.

Imagine what it would feel like at the end of this school year if your entire staff gathered to

celebrate not just achievements, but growth, perseverance, and living into core values. What if everyone

had the chance to be seen and heard and celebrated? Before we dive any deeper, let's take

just a moment to talk about why celebrations matter so much for our professional

communities. We often think of celebrations as nice to have, rather than as essential

components of organizational health. But the research tells a different story. When we celebrate

in community, we're actually meeting several core

human needs simultaneously. First, there's the need for recognition and acknowledgement, for having

our efforts and our growth seen by others. Then there's the need for belonging and connection and feeling like we're part of something

larger than ourselves. There's also the need for meaning and purpose for seeing how our work

...