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 Instagram, Facebook and digital life.
This scene was repeated in communities from Florida to Texas throughout 2025, as 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 become turning points for 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 kids 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 learning about safety features they didn’t know existed. I’ve seen moms literally gasp when they discover parental controls they can actually use. Just walking them through these tools empowers them to have new conversations with their kids.
This shift from fear to empowerment echoes through every Screen Smart event. When Cedar Ridge High School PTSA in Round Rock, Texas, hosted their workshop in April, parents arrived worried and left confident. A month later, families in Land O’Lakes, Fla., experienced the same transformation. These weren’t lectures about screen time limits—they were conversations about building trust, setting boundaries together and recognizing the positive aspects of digital connection.
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.”
Join the digital wellness movement. Visit PTA.org/Connected for resources to host digital wellness workshops. Together, we’re not just keeping kids safe online—we’re helping them flourish in a digital world.
