According to a recent survey by Afterschool Alliance, many students still lack access to quality afterschool programming. “There are 24 million students who are not enrolled in an afterschool program, but would be enrolled if a program were available to them,” the survey says. Black and Latino families are more likely to face barriers to … Read more
On this International Literacy Day, we’re celebrating the power of reading by recommending five children’s books about digital citizenship. These books teach children about issues like privacy, digital breadcrumbs, cyberbullying, and more. We hope that you’ll celebrate International Literacy Day with one of these delightful tales! Mitzi and the Big Bad Nosy Wolf Ages 4-8 … Read more
A couple of weeks ago, students in Palm Beach County went back to school for another year of learning and growth. Soon, Youth Speak Out International will return to afterschool programs to teach elementary school and middle school students how to be better digital citizens. In today’s quickly evolving digital society, these lessons are more … Read more
When it comes to the digital world and children, teachers, parents, and governments are often focused on the negatives. The potential of the digital world is intimidating to many, and the desire to protect our children can cause a knee-jerk reaction to keep them away. But researchers at the London School of Economics and Political … Read more
A new report by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) sheds light on the serious consequences of cyberbullying. According to the new study, 9% of young adolescents (average age: 12) reported being a target of cyberbullying. Female and Black participants were more likely to be bullied. According to the research, young people who experienced cyberbullying … Read more
At Youth Speak Out, we aim to give youth space to share their thoughts and raise their voice. Our programs start conversations about important topics such as cyberbullying, the overuse of technology, and misinformation in the classroom. But we want these conversations to continue in other settings, especially at home. However, for many parents, conversations … Read more
When you think of how today’s young people interact with the digital world, it’s easy to imagine a child clutching their device, their eyes glazed over as they fail to process the video or images that come across their screens. We think of hours wasted in front of a device, when that child could have … Read more
Have you ever tried Googling yourself and seeing what comes up? The results might surprise you. When we navigate the digital world, we leave behind a trail of “breadcrumbs” that can reveal a lot about us. This information can be used for everything from targeted advertising to identity theft. It’s impossible to completely erase your … Read more
For years, parents and teachers have been concerned over young people’s use of digital technology. Adults worry that children are spending too much time playing video games or scrolling through social media, and that these platforms are hurting their social and emotional development. But digital devices aren’t going anywhere. People use digital technology for everything … Read more
Happy Earth Day! Earth Day started in 1970 as an opportunity for people to share their support for environmental protections. For over 50 years, people across the United States and around the world have stood up for plants, animals, water, and all the elements of this beautiful planet we call home. The fight to protect … Read more