Program Encourages Students to “Unmute Your Kindness” with a 5-Day Challenge
NEWTOWN, Conn. – Most teens use social media and have a smartphone, and nearly half say they’re online almost constantly – despite research and concerns about the increase in anxiety, depression, social isolation, and self-harm. Without the skills to safely navigate online spaces in ways that promote positivity, youth may be at risk. Be Kind Online®, a Beyond Differences program of Sandy Hook Promise, helps middle school students develop positive online behaviors and prevent social isolation for themselves and others.
On Friday, April 11, more than 3,300 schools nationwide will celebrate Be Kind Online Day, reflect on their social media use, and commit to creating more welcoming digital spaces for middle school students. Sandy Hook Promise provides schools with curriculum and a Student Leadership Guide to help students understand how to build a culture of belonging online. All of the materials and professional development sessions to help teachers with the initiative are provided to schools at no charge.
“Warning signs of violence and self-harm often manifest initially online before being observed in person. Comments about chronic loneliness and social isolation, as well as online threats, bullying, and obsessions with violence are among some of these early signals. That is why it’s vital that we teach youth and adults to recognize these signs. By creating a culture where everyone looks out for one another, we can save lives and create cultures of belonging for our children,” said Nicole Hockley, co-founder and co-CEO of Sandy Hook Promise and mother of Dylan, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy.
The interactive curriculum includes lessons on Social Media Self-Reflection, Shifting Social Media Feeds, and The Power of Online Community. Each lesson is designed to inspire students to reflect, discuss, collaborate, and brainstorm on their social media usage, how it impacts themselves and others. It also includes an opportunity to create a social media campaign for a good cause that would take their activism online and offline.
In addition to teacher-led exercises, it includes a Student Leadership Guide with easy-to-follow illustrated steps for students to run a Be Kind Online Day at their school. It also contains a 5-day challenge to Unmute Your Kindness. Each day, students are asked to complete a positive act, such as writing a note of appreciation for a classmate, teacher, or anyone who makes their school a better place. The week culminates with students completing a coloring page that asks them how they will unmute their kindness online and in person.
For more information, visit https://www.beyonddifferences.org/be-kind-online/.
About Sandy Hook Promise
Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) envisions a future where all children are free from school shootings and other acts of violence. As a national nonprofit organization, SHP’s mission is to educate and empower youth and adults to prevent violence in schools, homes, and communities. Creators of the life-saving, evidence-informed “Know the Signs” prevention programs, SHP teaches the warning signs of someone who may be in crisis, socially isolated, or at risk of hurting themselves or others and how to get help. SHP also advances school safety, youth mental health, and responsible gun ownership at the state and federal levels through nonpartisan policy and partnerships. SHP is led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012.
About Beyond Differences
Nonprofit Beyond Differences‘ mission is to inspire students nationwide to end social isolation in middle schools and create a culture of belonging for everyone. Founded in 2010, Beyond Differences is a youth-led social justice movement, empowering students to become activists and change the culture in their schools. Beyond Differences provides Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) tools to disrupt social isolation and change the world, starting with how students treat each other at school and online. Programs include Know Your Classmates®, No One Eats Alone®, and Be Kind Online®. All curriculum and activity kits are provided free for schools. Currently, more than 10,000 schools use Beyond Differences’ programs and materials. Beyond Differences is a part of Sandy Hook Promise.
Media Contact:
Barbara Zamost | [email protected] | 415-987-2810