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 enrolling their students. Supporting these families through these educational services is more important now than ever before. The main barrier […]

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 When a furry stranger named Rolf starts asking Mitzi questions about her name, where she lives, where her mom and […]

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 important than ever before.  A recent study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) shows the serious consequences of cyberbullying. […]

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 Science (LSE) are among the advocates for a different approach to the relationship between children and the digital world. They consider […]

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 were four times more likely to report suicidal thoughts and attempts compared to youth who didn’t experience it. But unlike […]