Eddie Cortés

What if your students saw every setback as a setup for growth?

In this high-energy assembly, Eddie Cortés helps students rethink failure, challenge negative self-talk, and build the resilience needed to move forward with confidence.

Through humor, vivid storytelling, and memorable object lessons, Eddie connects with students in a way that feels real, relatable, and unforgettable. His message helps students see that their past does not define their future and that the voice in their head can become their greatest ally.

Students leave with a simple but powerful shift in perspective. Their potential is greater than their current circumstances. With courage, effort, and the support of others, they can rise above obstacles and pursue what once felt impossible.

Learning Outcomes — Every assembly, regardless of grade level, is built around three core ideas students can immediately apply:

1. Resilient Recovery
Students learn how to reframe failure and setbacks as part of growth, not proof that they are not capable.

2. Growth Through Grit
Students see how effort, persistence, and doing hard things build confidence and momentum.

3. Unshakable Self-Belief
Students learn to replace the internal “I’m not enough” voice with a confident, action-oriented “I’m Possible” mindset.

K–2 Assembly Adaptation

Duration: Approx. 35 Minutes

Theme: Foundational Resilience: I Can Do Hard Things

Hook: A playful “broadcast” from the GSPN featuring Barker the Broadcasting Beagle, Bounce-Back Bunny, and other character coaches who make resilience fun and memorable.

Objective: Help young students understand that mistakes are part of learning and that they are capable of doing hard things.

3–5 Assembly Adaptation

Duration: Approx. 45 Minutes

Theme: Growth Mindset: “I Can, I Will”

Hook: Powerful storytelling, hands-on object lessons, and interactive challenges that help students unlock their potential.

Objective: Build the confidence students need to navigate academic pressure, friendships, and growing responsibilities.

6–8 Assembly Adaptation

Duration: Approx. 55 Minutes

Theme: Self-Worth and Resilience: “I’m Worthy. I’m Possible.”

Hook: Honest “real talk” about adversity, self-worth, and future potential, delivered with humor, vulnerability, and powerful visuals.

Objective: Help students reframe failure, strengthen their identity, and see a future bigger than their current circumstances.

Students today are the first generation growing up with artificial intelligence as part of everyday life. AI can unlock creativity and learning, but it also raises new questions about digital wellness, academic integrity, and critical thinking.

In this high-energy, interactive assembly, national youth speaker Eddie Cortés helps students navigate the “Age of AI” with clarity and confidence.

Through humor, storytelling, and live demonstrations, Eddie turns complex technology into concrete lessons students can actually use. Rather than focusing only on the dangers of AI, the program emphasizes the human strengths that technology can never replace.

Students learn how to think critically about the tools they use, protect their identity online, and develop the judgment and character needed to lead in a technology-driven world.

Learning Outcomes — Every assembly, regardless of grade level, is built around three practical ideas students can immediately apply:

1. Be Human
Students learn that empathy, creativity, and original thinking are uniquely human strengths that no algorithm can replace. AI can assist learning, but it should never replace their voice, effort, or perspective.

2. Be Wise
Students learn how to use AI as a co-pilot instead of autopilot. They explore how AI works, why it can produce errors or bias, and how to think critically before trusting or sharing what it generates.

3. Be Safe
Students learn how to protect their identity and digital reputation in an AI-powered world. The program covers practical strategies for recognizing misinformation, avoiding harmful online behavior such as deepfakes or cyberbullying, and knowing when real human support matters most.

K–2 Assembly Adaptation

Duration: Approx. 30–35 Minutes

Theme: Smart Tools, Smart Choices

Hook: Through fun demonstrations and simple visuals, students discover how technology can help them learn, create, and solve problems.

Objective: Teach young learners that technology is a tool to help them think, create, and learn—not something that replaces their effort or imagination.

3–5 Assembly Adaptation

Duration: Approx. 40–45 Minutes

Theme: AI as a Learning Superpower

Hook: Students see how AI tools can help them brainstorm ideas, solve problems, and explore their curiosity when used responsibly.

Objective: Help students understand the difference between using AI to support learning and relying on it to do the thinking for them.

6–8 Assembly Adaptation

Duration: Approx. 50–55 Minutes

Theme: Responsible AI Use in a Digital World

Hook: Through real-world examples and interactive demonstrations, students explore how AI is changing school, careers, and creativity.

Objective: Equip students with a framework for using AI ethically, protecting their voice and ideas, and thinking critically about technology.

9–12 Assembly Adaptation

Duration: Approx. 55–60 Minutes

Theme: AI, Identity, and the Future of Work

Hook: Students examine how artificial intelligence is reshaping careers, creativity, and communication—and where human thinking still matters most.

Objective: Challenge students to use AI strategically while developing the uniquely human skills—judgment, creativity, and character—that technology cannot replace.