With students spending a lot of time online, conversations about digital responsibility, online safety and kindness are critical. But having those conversations with teens and knowing what to say can be challenging for many parents, especially those who aren’t digitally savvy.
Thanks to grants from National PTA and TikTok, 100 PTAs across the country hosted Create with Kindness events during the 2024-2025 school year. These programs are designed to bring teens and families together to have open dialogues about navigating today’s digital world as part of National PTA’s broader PTA Connected initiative.
Students Leading the Conversation
“Teens spend a significant amount of time on social media, and we wanted to bring families together to discuss online behaviors and to give them tools to be successful when talking about social media use,” said the Jonesboro High School PTSA.
Serving a Title I school in Jonesboro, Ga., the PTSA invited students to sit on a panel at their event and share their experiences online. The student voices proved invaluable in bridging the generational gap around digital experiences.
Jonesboro High School student panel
“Digital Safety is so important because social media has become such a big part of everyone’s lives, so it’s important to know how to use it properly and how to use it safely,” explained Shane McLaughlin, a student panelist at Denton High School’s Create with Kindness event in Texas.
At Twinsburg High School in Ohio, student panelist Kierra Gerstenfeld offered her perspective on the positive potential of social platforms: “I use social media mainly for exploring, I use it to research, I use it to figure out different kinds of music, I use it to inspire myself and with my friends. I think social media can be a great tool when you know how to use it well and when you know how to use it safely.”
Creating Interactive Learning Experiences
Springfield Council PTA elevated youth voices through a Create With Kindness Public Service Announcement contest, inviting students to submit one-minute videos exploring digital kindness and safety. Local marketing professionals judged the entries, and the student-created PSAs were featured throughout the event.
“Our parents were so impressed by the high schoolers’ maturity and commitment to online safety,” reported the Springfield Council PTA. “Featuring the student-created PSAs throughout the event amplified youth voices and added depth to our program.”
Attendees at multiple events participated in breakout sessions where they shared how they would react to different online situations, sparking honest dialogue between generations.
Students at an event sponsored by the Springfield Council PTA participate in roll play to inspire discussions about online behavior.
Building Community Partnerships for Safety
Piper High School PTSA in Sunrise, Fla., strengthened their program by inviting local School Resource Officers to share information about tools to keep students safe online. This partnership between schools, law enforcement, and families created a comprehensive support network for digital safety.
“We learned about the Family Pairing feature where we can watch his feed on our phone to monitor that all of the content he’s intaking is safe and he’s not on his phone too much,” shared parents of Maxwell Williams, a student panelist at Wheat Ridge High School in Colorado, demonstrating the practical tools families discovered during these events.
Empowering Students with Real-World Wisdom
The programs have provided students with concrete strategies for navigating their digital lives. Lian Carson, another student panelist at Wheat Ridge High School, offered advice she wished she could share with younger students: “Be careful of what you post on social media because that can get out fast, especially if you have a public account. Make sure that you’re fact checking what you see online because not all of it could be true.”
“It was inspiring to see so many parents interested in learning about social media to help connect with their kids,” said a student who attended the Springfield Council PTA event, highlighting how the program bridges generational divides.
Lasting Impact on Families and Communities
Parent feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing surprise at their teens’ digital sophistication and relief at gaining new communication strategies.
“Our teens know a lot more than I thought about online safety. It was reassuring. The program made me think more about how to have honest, non-judgmental conversations with my kids,” said a parent who attended the Springfield Council event.
The demand for continued programming speaks to its effectiveness. Parents at the Jonesboro High event specifically requested that Create with Kindness become an annual offering.
“Kindness at times seems to be a lost art, especially in an online setting. Overall, the event made a positive impact in the school and surrounding community because of the kindness message presented,” reflected the Piper High School PTSA.
A National Movement for Digital Wellness
The Create With Kindness program represents a critical component of National PTA’s PTA Connected initiative, which focuses on educating and engaging families in digital wellness, security, access, equity and literacy. With TikTok’s support, these programs are reaching diverse communities nationwide, from Title I schools to suburban districts, ensuring all families have access to digital safety resources.
The initiative recognizes that teenagers often know more than adults about being online, but they still need guardrails and trusted adult support to navigate their experiences safely. By bringing families together with practical information and resources, Create with Kindness programs are strengthening the collective commitment to fostering kindness in digital spaces.
Building a Kinder Digital Future
Through Create With Kindness, students feel empowered to make safer choices online, parents gain clarity and confidence in supporting their teens’ digital lives, and communities strengthen their bonds through shared learning. The program’s success demonstrates that when families, schools, and community partners work together, they can create the conditions for healthier, kinder digital communities.
As one participating PTA noted, these events help families get on the same page about technology rules and behaviors while celebrating how students use digital platforms to spread positivity and build community.Learn more about Create With Kindness and other PTA Connected programs at PTA.org/Connected.
Join the digital wellness movement. Visit PTA.org/Connected for resources to host digital wellness workshops. Together, we’re not just keeping teens safe online—we’re helping them flourish in a digital world.
Disclosure: TikTok funds National PTA as a supporting sponsor of the PTA Connected initiative. National PTA does not endorse any commercial entity, product, or service. No endorsement is implied.
