By Kevin Mecchella
5
33 ratings
The podcast currently has 153 episodes available.
Teenagers all share the same stress and anxiety but teen performing artists (musicians, dancers, singers, etc) have an extra layer on top. They often connect their self worth to their craft and when they encounter a poor audition or recital, the negative self talk becomes deafening. It's hard to navigate consdiering they put themselves in a vulnerable place; on display for the world to see!
Today, I brought on dancer, educator, and mental health professional Erin Pompa. Erin shares her personal journey from a dance educator to a passionate advocate for mental health. Our wide ranging conversation spans many topics such as cultivating acceptance and gratitude while providing valuable insights for educators and students alike!
As a New Jersey native, Erin has dedicated over 20 years to the field of education, earning a master's degree in dance education from NYU. She served as the dance director at Rosa l Park School of Fine and Performing Arts for 14 years and was an adjunct professor at Berkeley College, where she taught "The Art Of Ceativity". Erin's experience in the arts, education, performance, and curriculum design uniquely positions her to deliver impactful and inspirational presentations to youth. Her focus areas include mental health awareness, substance abuse prevention, and leadership development. Beyond her work in schools, Erin is a sought after speaker at youth conferences, colleges, and dance studios.
As mentioned, head over to https://www.erinpompa.com/ and download Erin's workshop "Becoming A Gratitude Ninja"!
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I've had so many conversations lately with both teens and adults where I've realized the fear of failure is alive and well no matter your age! People are so scared of making mistakes and it unfortunately keeps them stuck from moving fast. Moving fast is the only way we learn and grow. So today I'm going to share my 2 cents on fear of failure...
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Don't forget to subscribe to the show!
If you'd be so kind as to leave a rating and review, that would help tremendously!
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Do you remember that time that everyone laughed at you because you had toilet paper stuck to your shoe? Or that nick name that stuck with you in 4th grade? You may remember but you know who doesn't...everyone at college!
Students are about to embark on a entirely new chapter in their life. For many of them, a new state with a completely new set of friends. This is a chance to embrace a fresh start! They can become who they want and view the world through a new lens. They don't have to be held down by the subconscious limits that have been imposed on them thus far. This is a chance for a clean slate and to step into the shoes of the person who they WANT to become!
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Don't forget to subscribe to the show!
If you'd be so kind as to leave a rating and review, that would help tremendously!
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Today I'd like to reflect on a personal story from my childhood—a deep-seated obsession with Superman and the significance it held for me. I was a product of the Christopher Reeves Superman (ahhemm....the best one) and it was a few things. Sure it was the way he carried himself but at the age of 6 it was more about his ability to fly! Even more so it was how everyone was in so much shock and awe around him. The power and significance he had was intoxicating. I was a child who wanted significance...
With that being said I want to delve into the crucial topic of understanding and addressing the needs of students in the classroom. Whether it be significance, certainty or simply physiological needs, we'll explore how educators can create thought-provoking experiences that go beyond traditional academic learning, helping students uncover their desires and needs. By providing a space for self-reflection and exploration, we can foster an environment that nurtures personal growth and development.
Lastly, today's episode marks a special milestone as we celebrate our 150th show. I'm thrilled to take this opportunity to offer 50% off one of my programs! So the first school or organization who mentions this episoded will get their speaker fee cut in half!!!
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Don't forget to subscribe to the show!
If you'd be so kind as to leave a rating and review, that would help tremendously!
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Book Kevin to speak at your school or event!
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Most of us can remember the first few months of our undergraduate experience. It was not easy! It's a big shift for many different reasons so when we talk about our student's mental health, this is a very pivotal point and an important transition.
Today we'll chat about the challenges students face as they navigate the increased autonomy, adult responsibilities, and cultural shock in a university setting. Time, energy and money management are all important for a college freshman, as well as finding a social and academic groove without hitting a wall. Take a listen to a few suggestions that might help your high school senior as they begin their collegiate journey!
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Don't forget to subscribe to the show!
If you'd be so kind as to leave a rating and review, that would help tremendously!
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Do you remember the last few months of your senior year?! All of a sudden everyone started talking to each other, everyone became friendly, and all social cliques began to to break down! We realized that our future has arrived. There was no more next steps and for most part, you were not going to see a vast majority of these people ever again. Everyone was going to go on to do different things with their lives and no matter how cool you were, what sports you played or how good your grades were, everone was on the same playing field.
The question becomes can we replicate this through the other three years of high school? Can we help break down the social cliques sooner?
I think one idea is to help students with perspective on time, real-world experiences, and social situations, all of which can help them navigate the challenges of social hierarchy, as well as the pressures of social media.
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Don't forget to subscribe to the show!
If you'd be so kind as to leave a rating and review, that would help tremendously!
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The saying goes "if you win the morning, you win the day". And morning routines are not just for adults! There are many great benefits from a teen implementing some personal development tactics before they head out to school.
Today I'll share some practical strategies to help teenagers enhance their well-being by focusing on their body, mind, and emotions in the morning. From exercise to meditation, journaling, and acts of kindness, I'll break down simple yet impactful routines that can make a positive difference in the lives of your teens.
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Don't forget to subscribe to the show!
If you'd be so kind as to leave a rating and review, that would help tremendously!
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Book Kevin to speak at your school or event!
Learn more about Kevin's speaking programs here!
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month so today we'll be unpacking the CASTLE SEL framework which is a key component of social and emotional learning. I'll provide an in-depth breakdown of the framework's five core competencies, along with discussing the settings that SEL can be taught which are classrooms, schools, families, and communities.
There are some hidden gems to this framework that might go overlook at first. I'll be asking some interesting questions to challenge how we approach SEL from the outside in!
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Don't forget to subscribe to the show!
If you'd be so kind as to leave a rating and review, that would help tremendously!
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Book Kevin to speak at your school or event!
Learn more about Kevin's speaking programs here!
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I recently had a student come up to me after a talk and said "I want to be like you"...
I assumed that he meant he wanted to be a speaker. I was wrong.
He continued to say "I want to speak and I want people to finally hear me". I realized that this student has so much to say and so much to share but he doesn't have an outlet to do so.
I then thought about my experiences working with students either in the classroom or from the stage and I realized that there are so many students who go unnoticed. Not because it's anyone's fault but we need to use so much time and attention on the students who obviously need our help both academically and socially. So how do we create opportunities to truly get to know all our students...?
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Don't forget to subscribe to the show!
If you'd be so kind as to leave a rating and review, that would help tremendously!
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Book Kevin to speak at your school or event!
Learn more about Kevin's speaking programs here!
Follow Kevin on social!
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When I was in high school I KNEW that I was going to be a high school band director....
Clearly I was mistaken.
When 16 and 17 year old children are asked what they want to do with the rest of their lives (AKA picking a major), there are a lot of variables and situations to think about.
Whether your teen is having trouble picking their major or is on the opposite end of that spectrum and is completely sold, there are a few questions that are crucial to ask in this process.
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Don't forget to subscribe to the show!
If you'd be so kind as to leave a rating and review, that would help tremendously!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Book Kevin to speak at your school or event!
Learn more about Kevin's speaking programs here!
Follow Kevin on social!
Linked In
Tiktok
The podcast currently has 153 episodes available.