OBJECTIVE:

Students will understand the expectations of professional environments and identify the key mindsets, behaviors, and tools they need to show up as their best selves in academic, career, and networking spaces.

MATERIALS:

Markers, Poster Paper

REQUIRED PREP:

Teacher:

  • Transform your room
  • Next Gen sessions should be different from typical classes — change the atmosphere of your classroom and get ready for your first session!

Opening Huddle - 15 mins

Feel free to play music to generate energy and set the vibe!

  1. Opening Ritual
  2. Mood Check

Activity 1 – 20 Mins

Mentors: LinkedIn Walkthrough + Profile Building (45 min)

  • Mentors will give a visual tour of a strong student LinkedIn profile: highlighting headline, summary, experience, and skills.

  • Students then begin creating or updating their own LinkedIn pages. Provide a guided worksheet or checklist:

    • Profile photo- Let students know that at our next session we will have a professional photographer on site to take professional headshots.
    • Headline
    • Summary paragraph (who I am, what I care about, what I’m working toward)
    • Skills, experiences, and any clubs or service involvement

Activity 2 – 30 Mins

Teacher:  Peer Profile Check + Affirmation Swap

  • Students pair up and review each other’s pages with a checklist and offer affirming feedback, highlighting a sentence or part of the profile they think stands out.

  • Optional: Give space for students to write a short “About” paragraph offline first, then upload it to LinkedIn.

Closing Huddle – 5 Mins

TEACHER: Please in the closing, remind students we will be taking headshots and they need to dress professionally. At minimum students are required to wear their black Next Gen and nice pair of pants. Also speak to grooming and harbor on being dressed for success.