My career spans more than 20 years working with children and adolescents in education and nonprofits. Since joining Sandy Hook Promise in 2022, my focus has been to develop and implement high-impact school safety initiatives and violence prevention programs. This work has given me a profound insight: true school safety requires a holistic approach, extending well beyond the school grounds.

Understanding social media's role in youth culture is integral to helping students navigate the complexities and challenges they face online. A 2024 Pew study indicates that most middle school and high school students have mobile devices and are using some form of social media throughout the day, which is contributing to the elevated reports of poor mental health and other negative outcomes. 

Be Kind Online® is a Beyond Differences program of Sandy Hook Promise that helps students develop positive online behaviors and prevent social isolation. Friday, April 11 was Be Kind Online Day. It was celebrated nationally in more than 3,300 schools. 

At Sandy Hook Promise, we teach the warning signs of potential violence. Social isolation and online bullying are some of the early indicators that someone is in distress and may be at risk of hurting themselves or others.

Every student should feel physically and emotionally safe at school and online. Be Kind Online helps young people reflect on the impact of their own social media usage with lessons and classroom discussions. Students get the opportunity to use social media for good with a project that asks them to collaborate with classmates and create an online campaign for a nonprofit organization. They also can participate in Unmute Your Kindness, a five-day challenge that is part of the curriculum, to complete a series of positive acts to make their school and community a better place for everyone.

Be Kind Online can be celebrated throughout the school year to support school initiatives that are focused on positive online behavior. Educators can sign up here to receive this free program and a 5-day challenge to equip their students with skills to promote positivity and safety online. 

Social media is here to stay, so it’s unrealistic to tell our students to stay offline. Instead, we can give them the tools and agency to build a culture of belonging online so they feel connected and valued. These behaviors can help prevent violence and, ultimately, save lives.

Crystal Garrant is the chief program officer for Sandy Hook Promise, overseeing the proven “Know the Signs” programs that have effectively prevented at least 18 credible planned school shooting attacks and countless other acts of youth violence and suicide. Learn more at sandyhookpromise.org.