Mattahunt Leadership Academy • Sequence • Lenny.com
Mattahunt Leadership Academy
A comprehensive 10-week leadership incubator at the Mattahunt Community Center in Mattapan, designed as on-the-job training for first-time teen staff (ages 14-18). It focuses on fundamental job readiness, personal financial literacy, health/digital safety, and peer-led community advocacy pitches.
Chapter 3: Social Justice Pitch Coach Coaching the Final Pitch
COACHING THE ADVOCACY PITCH
Weeks 8-10 culminate in peer-led neighborhood proposals. Use this guide to prevent overwhelmed dropouts and ensure stellar pitches.
1. Keep it Mattapan-Specific
Do not let teens pick massive global issues like "climate change" or "world hunger." Push them to focus on immediate Mattapan/Boston neighborhoods: transit delays on the MBTA Blue/Red line shuttles, litter at Ryan Playground, or expanding teen center late-night hours.
2. The Simple Three-Slide Standard
Keep presentation designs simple so they don't drown in tech detail. Every team must use this 3-slide blueprint:
Slide 1 (The Hook & Data): What is the Mattapan problem? Show 1 statistic or photo.
Slide 2 (The Solution): What is our practical idea? Who does what, and where?
Slide 3 (The Ask): Exactly how much money or support do we need from Mattahunt's budget?
3. Defeating Stage Fright
Every teen in the team must have a speaking role. To build confidence, run "Vocal Warmups" (tongue twisters, high-volume projection yells across the gym) before the final Pitch Showdown. Pair shy speakers with strong, supportive co-presenters on slide transitions.
Pitch Night Setup Checklist
Invite local Mattapan business owners, parents, and community organizers. Give them fake "Mattahunt Bucks" (play money) to distribute to the pitches they find most realistic and compelling. This gamification adds high-stakes excitement!
A gamified, fast-paced scenario where a Mattahunt center coordinator (facilitator) arrives in a panic because a vital sign-in list is missing. Two teen staff members are on the clock.
Use Card 1 (The Nerve-Wracking Interview / The Lost Folder) from the Crisis Control Challenge Cards. Run two simulation cycles with different teen staff in the active roles.
03 / 6:25 - 6:45 PM (20 MIN) DEBRIEF PANEL
THE FEEDBACK CIRCLE
Gather teens in a circle. Introduce the "Shine-and-Pivot" feedback system: first, share 1 thing the actor did that shined (e.g., great poise); then, share 1 pivot (e.g., speak up slightly louder). Distribute reflection logs.
Workplace Psychological Safety
If a teen freezes and cannot speak, step in immediately as the Co-Player to toss them a lifeline: "Hey, let's look for that list together. I'll check the front desk while you search the table." Never let them fail completely in public.
MATTAHUNT WEEK 1 FACILITATOR GUIDE PAGE 2 OF 3
Mattahunt Center // Teen Staff Academy Date: _______________
ACADEMY WORKLOG: WEEK 1
Complete this on-the-job log. Your supervisor will check this to verify your stipend credit.
STAFF NAME:
TIMESHEET HR:
1. DEFEATING FIRST-JOB NERVES
What was the most nerve-wracking moment for you during our Week 1 sessions (the mapping, the handshake, or the lost folder game)? Why?
2. THE "SHINE & PIVOT" EVALUATION
Who is one peer you watched do a great job in the handshake or roleplay games? What specific "Shine" did they demonstrate?
3. MY PERSONAL ON-TIME PROMISE
How will you plan your Wednesday & Friday after-school travel next week to ensure you are signed in and ready by 5:25 PM sharp?
Supervisor Sign-off Your Program Coach must sign off to verify your stipend points.
COACH SIGNATURE: _______________________
MATTAHUNT WEEK 1 STUDENT WORKSPACE PAGE 3 OF 3
You must explain the damage to the center's reputation, how search engines preserve digital footprints, and help them draft a clean retraction plan.
TRIGGER PHRASE: "It's my private page, who cares?" Focus: Brand Stewardship
04 // The Coworker Clash
STAKES: HIGH
THE SETUP: Two teen staff members are assigned to clean and lock up the computer lab. Partner A is doing all the physical wire-wrapping, while Partner B is sitting down texting their friend. A heated verbal argument breaks out.
ROLE A: Stressed Partner
You're sick of carrying the team's weight. You are yelling and threatening to report Partner B immediately to the program director.
ROLE B: Texting Partner
Defensive. You had a family crisis text coming in, but instead of explaining, you reacted with anger and told Partner A to "mind their own business."
TRIGGER PHRASE: "You always do this, you're lazy!" Focus: Professional Boundaries
MATTAHUNT CHALLENGE CARDS PAGE 2 OF 3
Mattahunt Deck // Phase II Card Set 3: Social Justice & Customer Relations
COMMUNITY ADVOCACY CARDS
Use these scenarios during Friday Live Sim labs in Weeks 8 to 10.
05 // The Neighborhood Pitch
STAKES: HIGH
THE SETUP: A teen group is pitching a proposal to install safer lighting and crosswalk flags near Ryan Playground in Mattapan. The local City Council budget auditor is highly skeptical of the $1,200 project cost, suggesting the youth "just use flashlight apps."
ROLE A: The Skeptical City Auditor
You believe city funds are too tight. You think crosswalk flags are "unnecessary toys" and demand hard data showing why streetlights aren't enough.
ROLE B: Teen Team Presenter
You must validate the auditor's budget concerns, cite real Mattapan pedestrian safety figures, and hold your ground with professional civic poise.
TRIGGER PHRASE: "Why can't you kids just walk home earlier?" Focus: Systemic Advocacy
06 // The Stressed Resident
STAKES: HIGH
THE SETUP: An elderly Mattapan neighbor arrives at the center looking for help setting up a senior transit pass online. They are frustrated by the touch-screen terminal and are raising their voice at the staff, claiming they are "being locked out" of the transit system.
ROLE A: Stressed Senior Resident
Impatient, nervous around modern tech. You feel embarrassed asking teenagers for help, and mask that embarrassment with critical complaints about the center's wifi.
ROLE B: On-Duty Teen Assistant
You must show patience, walk them step-by-step through the layout, protect their passwords, and validate their feelings without sounding condescending.
TRIGGER PHRASE: "These new computers are impossible!" Focus: Dignified Public Service
