Picture this: 230 teens, parents and caregivers packed into an auditorium in Rochester, Mich., not for a school play or basketball game, but for an honest conversation about digital life. 

This scene was repeated in communities from Michigan to Florida to Texas throughout 2025, as across the nation families discovered something powerful—when we tackle digital challenges together, everybody wins.

The Screen Smart workshops, powered by National PTA’s PTA Connected initiative and collaboration with Meta, have become more than educational events. They’ve helped families struggling to bridge the digital generation gap.

Teen Voices That Changed Parents’ Perspectives

Here’s what surprised parents most: their teens wanted these conversations too.

Hannah Roy, an Adams High School student, put it simply: “Your digital footprint, for better or worse, stays on the internet forever. That was a very important conversation for me to have. Restrictions like privacy—you’re not going to post your address online. That seems obvious, but it wasn’t to me when I was younger so it was important to have that conversation and establish those boundaries.”

Her classmate, Eda Nguyen, added: “Something I hope people learned tonight is the perspective that us young people have compared to older people—I know that people think social media is bad and that’s not necessarily true. I think there’s a lot of good content online. It just needs to come with a few restrictions, like what is age-appropriate or not.”

For Teresa Harris, an Adams High School parent who attended the Michigan workshop, the lightbulb moment came during a panel discussion. “It’s important to have events like this so that parents and [teens] know what they can do to put those parameters in place to make it a fun place for them.”

As National PTA Connected Ambassador, I’ve facilitated multiple workshops and witnessed countless breakthrough moments, including parents who are surprised to learn about safety features they didn’t know existed. I’ve seen moms gasp when they discover parental controls on Instagram they can actually use. Just walking parents and caregivers through these tools empowers them to have new conversations with their teens.

This shift from uncertainty to empowerment echoes through every Screen Smart event. When Cedar Ridge High School PTSA in Round Rock, Texas, hosted their workshop in April, parents left more confident about their initial concerns. A month later, families in Land O’Lakes, Fla., experienced the same transformation. These weren’t lectures about screen time limits or one-size-fits-all solutions—they were conversations about building trust, setting boundaries together and seeing the positive aspects of digital connection. I also like that these workshops can allow participants to speak up about safety in a productive way.

The Ripple Effect in Communities

Jamie Rawcliffe, president of Rochester Community Council PTA in Michigan, explains why hosting a Screen Smart event was “a no-brainer.”

“It’s one of the biggest issues we hear from our PTA leaders in Rochester, particularly those with the upper elementary, middle school and those heading into the teen years,” said Jamie. “They want to know what their kids are doing, what are the safe spaces for them online and how can they protect them? This is something everyone wants to know about.”

The impact extends far beyond the workshop walls. Parents return to their homes equipped with knowledge, resources and confidence. 

The local NBC affiliate in Detroit spotlighted the Michigan event, highlighting how Screen Smart gatherings are igniting meaningful discussions around healthy screen habits.

As Dr. Tonya Whitehead, Michigan PTA President, observed: “We have so many families and students who don’t know all there is to know about being online—and there are so many safety issues that they’re dealing with on a daily basis. Learning about all the features that are available with these tools is a benefit to the whole community so we can all keep each other safe.”

In addition to the Screen Smart workshops PTA leaders have hosted for their local communities, Meta has hosted 25 of their own Screen Smart events in cities across the country, 160 PTA leaders have attended representing 15 states and all levels of national, state and local PTAs. The events have featured interactive engagements and activities for attendees; conversations with high-level Meta executives, public figures and youth well-being experts; and opportunities to ask questions and share feedback, empowering PTA leaders with knowledge and resources to take back and share with families and other PTA leaders in their states and communities.

Jenna Alexander, former Virginia PTA president, attended the Screen Smart event in Arlington, Va. and said: “It’s important that we create opportunities for families to talk about the mental health impacts of social media and ways to keep our kids safe online. The Conversation Cards [which were used during the event] are a great resource PTAs and families can use to start a family discussion about healthy digital habits.”

At PTA, we remain committed to fostering safe, positive use of internet-connected devices and digital and social media, as well as bringing together parents/caregivers and teens and connecting them with tools, research and support to help them navigate the digital world and help teens be safe online. National PTA President Yvonne Johnson has spoken at PTA Connected events and has been a panelist at Screen Smart workshops. “Digital safety is one of the biggest challenges of our time,” Yvonne notes. “And through our PTA Connected initiative and events including the Screen Smart workshops, we are focused on helping move the needle on these issues for everyone.”

Charles Everett, president of Tennessee PTA, shared that the Screen Smart event in Nashville was a truly eye-opening experience. “Parents have real reasons to worry about what can happen in digital spaces, so I think it’s a definite plus there now are more built-in limits on what teens can see, who they can talk to, and time spent on Instagram,” said Charles. “Tennessee PTA wants to be part of these digital safety conversations so we can speak up for all the families across our state, and also help get the word out about what these social media apps have in the way of controls and safety features.” 

Every household is different. What works for one family may not work for another—especially when it comes to tech and social media. But as I always say at these Screen Smart workshops, and at all our PTA Connected events, every household benefits from being fully informed and having these open, ongoing conversations. We appreciate Meta’s willingness to support teens and families and look forward to continuing this important conversation.   

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.

About the Author: Mikki Wilson is in her third year of volunteer service as the appointed National PTA Connected Ambassador. In this capacity, she travels around the country to help facilitate sponsor-funded PTA Connected field events. Professionally, Wilson is an entrepreneur helping individuals improve the impact of their online and offline presence.  

Disclosure: Meta funds National PTA as a founding sponsor of the PTA Connected initiative. National PTA does not endorse any commercial entity, product, or service. No endorsement is implied.