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On Wednesday, April 16, 2025, Newton Country Day School welcomed award-winning science journalist and author Catherine Price as this year’s guest speaker for the Parent Education Speaker Series, generously sponsored by the Class of 2025 Families. 

Catherine Price is an award-winning science journalist, speaker, and author, and is a leading voice in the national conversation about digital devices and how to create healthy relationships with technology. Price and her work have been featured in outlets including NPR, The New York Times, Good Morning America, The Wall Street Journal, Popular Science, and TIME Magazine, among many others. She is also a former middle school teacher, the parent of a young child, and a core member of the team behind Jonathan Haidt's #1 NYT-bestselling book, The Anxious Generation. Her presentation for the Newton Country Day community, titled “Kids, Smartphones, and Social Media: The Risks and the Solutions,” addressed one of the most pressing challenges facing families today. Learn more about Catherine Price at her website.

Head of School Jessica Hooper P ‘28 explained the selection of Price as a speaker for both audiences of students and faculty during the day, and parents and caregivers in the evening. “As partners in the education of our students, it is essential that we come together—parents and educators alike—to understand and address the challenges young people face in their daily lives. A recent study by Seattle Children’s Research Institute reveals that the average teen (ages 13–18) spends 5.6 hours a day on their phone—not including time spent on laptops. This raises an important question: What meaningful activities are being displaced, and how can we help students cultivate habits that foster genuine happiness?”

During the school day, Price spoke to Newton Country Day students in grades 8-12, engaging them in a conversation about the impact of smartphones and social media on their well-being. Her presentation included the difficult truth about the social media industry’s motivation to target young teenagers as an influenceable audience. “Your time and attention are being sold to advertisers. That's called the attention economy,” she explained to students. “This means, essentially, that every minute we spend on a social media app is a minute we're spending making money for somebody else.” Her presentation included several interviews of current and past employees of social media giants. "Meta classified 13 to 17 year olds as a vulnerable but very valuable audience — and tracked when they were feeling worthless, helpless, or like a failure,” she explained. “Tech execs don’t even let their own kids use these apps — the CEO of Snapchat limited his kid to 1.5 hours [of screen time] a week… I don’t know many dishwasher manufacturers who refuse to let their own kids use dishwashers." 

Price encouraged students to be mindful of what they choose to pay attention to in their lives. “When I decide what to pay attention to, I'm making a bigger decision about how I want to live my life." She pointed out that young teenagers’ brains are in a vital stage of development. "Plasticity makes teens vulnerable — but also powerful. You have more control over how your brain changes than you may realize."

Conversation about these topics stretched beyond the Q&A that followed her talk into classrooms and advisories as students reacted to the hard truths they had absorbed through Price’s impactful talk. “What I love about Catherine’s approach is the sophistication with which she speaks with students,” shared Upper School Head Melissa Bleakney-Dalton. “She honors their intelligence and capacity to grapple with the complexity of the digital world. This approach prompts students to really listen and even experience disgust at what they hear about how tech companies hijack their neurochemistry and profit from hooking them on social media applications. With their awareness raised, they are impelled to action - in true Sacred Heart form!”

That evening, parents and caregivers from Newton Country Day and local partner schools—St. Sebastian’s, Belmont Hill, and Roxbury Latin—were invited to attend an informative and empowering session. “If you have children from ages 3 to 18, I can assure you, you will leave with tools, insights, and perhaps most importantly, a sense of solidarity,” Price assured the audience. 

Price did not hesitate to make clear the urgency of her message. “Last summer, former Surgeon General Vivek Murphy actually called for a warning label on social media platforms. He made a very important point that I want to emphasize to you as well, which is that no one has ever proven these things to be safe for kids,” she implored. “They're being exposed to [social media] for upwards of four hours a day, and no one has ever tested to see what was safe.”

Through her presentation Price offered a clear, evidence-based framework and practical guidance for navigating the complex world of digital devices. Her talk left attendees with both a deeper understanding of the challenges and concrete tools they can use at home to foster healthier screen habits and stronger family connections. “For parents, Catherine offered timely and practical insight into the ever-evolving landscape of social media, equipping us as parents with knowledge and strategies to establish healthy boundaries that support mental health and protect our children from the more harmful aspects of the digital world,” noted Hooper, who took in Price’s talks in her dual role of Head of School and parent of a 9th grader.

Susie Ramirez ‘99 P ‘31, Director of Community and Belonging and parent of a 6th grader, was struck by Price’s ability to rally audiences with honesty. "Catherine did not shirk away from very real, hard truths, but also left us with hope and tools to take action now. My home screen is now grey and dull, my go-to apps are now hidden, and I am already feeling a greater sense of freedom from my phone!"

Price’s visit reflected Newton Country Day’s ongoing commitment to supporting families through thoughtful, relevant programming that strengthens our community and fosters student well-being. “Catherine offered our students and parents a powerful reminder that their attention, emotions, and relationships matter and that they have agency in how they engage with technology,” shared Crystal Mims, Director of Student Support. “As a school psychologist, I deeply appreciated how she balanced neuroscience with empathy. Her message reinforced the idea that protecting our well-being in a digital world is not about fear, but about empowerment and connection.”

“When it comes to social media, the technology evolves faster than the research,” noted Hooper. “As partners, we want to be sure to offer parents and caregivers the opportunity to learn and discern alongside our educators, as this is a powerful presence in the life of our students.”

Catherine Price (center) with (l-r) Deborah Tully, Head of Middle School; Melissa Bleakney-Dalton, Head of Upper School; Nicole Noel, Assistant Head of School; Jessica Hooper, Head of School; Crystal Mims, Director of Student Support; and Susie Ramirez, Director of Community and Belonging.

The Newton Country Day School Parent Education Speaker Series is brought to you by the Class of 2025 Families.