Wellness Speaker Series 2023-2024
For the 2023-2024 school year, we will host a speaker series that will feature an array of leaders in their field, sharing their expertise on topics related to our student’s physical, social, and emotional health and well-being.
This series is funded through the generosity of a member of the SA community who shares our passion for educating Scots to prioritize healthy balance and wellness in their lives.
Topic One: Belonging
Geoffrey Cohen, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology at Stanford University and author of Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides. In his book, Dr. Cohen draws on his own and others’ groundbreaking scientific research to offer simple, concrete solutions for fostering a sense of belonging. These solutions can generate surprisingly significant and long-lasting benefits, including helping us overcome our differences, create empathy, and forge lasting connections even across divides.
Topic Two: Healthy Boundaries
Mike Domitrz, founder of The Center for Respect, has committed his career to educating others on how they can create a culture of respect in their communities. Through his interactive presentations, Mr. Domitrz provides participants with positive "how-to" skills and helpful insights for specific actions they can take to build a culture of respect in their lives and in the lives of others.
Topic Three: Digital Wellbeing
Dr. Emily Weinstein, a Principal Investigator at Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Project Zero and Co-Director of the new Center for Digital Thriving. Dr. Weinstein’s work focuses on how today’s technologies shape teens’ lives and development, and how adults can better support kids who are growing up with unprecedented connectivity. Dr. Weinstein's published work includes the book Behind Their Screens: What Teens Are Facing (And Adults Are Missing).
Topic Four: Substance Use
Join Screenagers filmmaker, Delaney Ruston as she picks up her camera once more to examine the impact of our digital age on teens' decision-making in relation to substances such as vaping, alcohol, and drugs. Exploring the latest research and learning more about the personal experiences of teens and families, the film highlights the changing landscape of the substances themselves, offering solutions for how we can best empower teens, as they face decisions about what they will and will not be influenced by.
Topic Five: Mental Health and wellbeing
Hakeem Rahim is a speaker, poet, and mental health advocate. He has given compelling presentations at over 150 educational institutions to over 50,000 students about his personal journey through mental health challenges as a young college student. With the right support, Mr. Rahim was not only able to complete his degree at Harvard, but he also went on to earn two master’s degrees at Columbia University. Today, he shares his message to students all over the world that it is okay to talk and to seek help when you need it, and that we are not defined by our challenges, but in fact, can use them as clues to our greatest success.