In my book, When In Doubt… Give Them Your Heart I define connection as the essential starting point for all our work. I also pose the question; “How do you intentionally create space for connection?”
On June 18, 2026, the Obama Presidential Center held its grand opening ceremony and gave a wonderful answer to this question when First Lady Michelle Obama encouraged visitors to use the physical space as “respite” to disconnect, put away phones, and converse face to face. She concluded with a compelling invitation, “It’s time to unplug and build the future.”
The Obama Presidential Center is not a monument to the past but rather a place to foster community and inspire the future. It encourages visitors to slow down and connect with others as they peruse the landscaped park space, visit the art gallery and museum or play on the playground and basketball court. It always reassuring when the principles that guide High 5 are echoed in the messages of respected leaders and institutions in our society.
As I listened to Michelle Obama describe the purpose of the Center, I was struck by how closely it mirrors what we strive to create every day at High 5—a place where people can disconnect from distractions, connect with one another, and discover their capacity for leadership.
Last month, High 5 welcomed high school students and educators from across New England for our Edge of Leadership Summer program. Each day, they practiced being present with one another. They stretched beyond their comfort zones physically and emotionally, they formed friendships that will endure long after the program ends and experienced the power of building community.
What inspires me most is that, whether the setting is a national presidential center or a leadership program at High 5, the results are remarkably similar. When people are given the space to reflect on who they are, the courage to reach out to others and the support to work toward something larger than themselves, something incredible happens. They don’t just become better leaders, they become better human beings. And when we raise better human beings, we build a better world.