LEVERAGING GRATITUDE
A Keynote Concert by James Kevin O’Connor
Most school assemblies fall into a predictable routine: a speaker, a slide deck, and a room full of students trying not to fall asleep.
"Leveraging Gratitude" is not that.
It is a 60-minute live "edutainment" experience. Part concert, part masterclass. No slides. No droning. Just three original songs performed live, and three true stories that challenge students to rethink how they handle pressure, creativity, and their own potential.
What Your Students Walk Away With:
Tool #1: The Flip. How to interrupt negative thought loops and reset their focus using gratitude.
Tool #2: The Reset. A practical breathing technique to manage stress and performance anxiety.
Tool #3: The Ripple. Why helping others is the fastest way to lift themselves up.
The Takeaway: A free mastered download of the title track, "Gratitude," so the message stays on their playlist long after the assembly ends.
Who is James Kevin O’Connor?
James is a Music Row recording artist (6 albums, 3 recorded in Nashville), an International Music Consultant, a published author (7 Steps to Mental Freedom), a veteran podcast host (420+ episodes), and an IFCC-certified Christian Chaplain. He brings the polish of a Nashville stage show and the heart of a counselor into one dynamic presentation.
The Purpose:
This program is designed with one goal: to have a genuine, lasting impact on your students. It is a zero-cost, zero-risk opportunity to bring a highly relevant, Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) message to your school culture.
“The sizzling guitar work, dense bass lines, and hints of a synth unite to make for an effort that will stick with listeners long after this cut (and the entirety of Gratitude) concludes.
— James McQuiston | Read the full review
Media Highlights
-
"Gratitude concludes with Speak to Me, a track that is both vital to understand what O’Connor has done on the album as well as the potential avenues which he may take listeners on follow-up recordings. For additional information about the performer, take a look at his domain."
— James McQuiston of Neufutur Magazine | Read the full review
-
"Each heartfelt story feels like a short sermon offered to the listener to apply to their particular situation. It was a refreshing experience to listen to the releases in their entirety."
— IndieStrong.com | Read the full review
-
"O’Connor writes and sings his songs from a place where many of us never dare to traverse: our souls."
— R.A. Leslie