Speaker Bio
Jane Kim, MPP
Founder & CEO, KindEd
Jane Kim is the founder of KindEd and spent nearly a decade teaching in Chicago Public Schools. She earned a Master’s in Public Policy with Honors from the University of Chicago, where she was an Obama Foundation Scholar. Her work has been recognized through the UNESCO Youth Mental Health & Well-being Grant, the John Edwardson Social New Venture Challenge, the Tarrson Social Venture Fellowship, MIT Solve Global Learning Challenge, and the Davis Projects for Peace Prize. She is a Vital Voices and Halcyon Fellow and presented KindEd’s work on social media literacy at the Council of Europe’s World Forum for Democracy.
Breakout 3D
Leading Through the Social Media & Youth Mental Health Crisis
Jane Kim
Across the country, counselors are experiencing the growing impact of social media on student attention, behavior, and mental health. Group chats, trends, and algorithm-driven content now shape relationships and school climate long before the first bell rings. Yet many responses—phone bans, monitoring software, or compliance-based lessons—fail to address the root cause: engagement technologies designed to capture attention. This session examines how these systems shape student behavior and learning environments. Participants will explore strategies that build student agency through inquiry-based learning, helping students reflect on their digital habits and develop healthier norms around technology use across the school community.
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Learning Objectives:
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Identify how unrestricted device and social media use affects student focus, emotional well-being, and relationships.
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Understand the limitations of current school responses and the need for preventive, educational strategies.
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Explore evidence-informed tools and approaches aligned with SEL and media literacy standards to support digital well-being.
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Learn how to center student voice and agency in building healthy, connected school cultures.
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CEUs: 1 BOSW General