• Inspiring young people to engage with media in
    thoughtful & creative ways that support well-being.

About Media Power Youth

Our mission is to inspire young people to engage with media in creative and constructive ways that support their physical and mental well-being.

 

We partner with schools and communities to invest in youth and sustain them in their journey to find balance in their technology use, such that it enriches rather than compromises their success in school and in life.

Media Power Youth encourages young people to discovery their own agency in shaping the media ecosystem that drives our inner and outer worlds – conversations that are constantly shifting and occur every day through the media we love, share, and create. We believe media literacy is a life skill that all children deserve to learn. We connect with youth through creative, diverse learning experiences while mentoring the adults who support them in their goals. We strive to be a resource for well-being that builds critical-thinking skills and brings together youth, parents, educators, health advocates, and community members so we can all learn from each other.

Our History

In 2000, Rona Zlokower created MediaSmart with Selma Deitch, MD, founder of Child Health Services, to address the increasing influence of media on children’s health and behaviors. In 2007, the program became its own nonprofit entity: Media Power Youth.Since Media Power Youth’s founding, we’ve witnessed the growing influence of media and media technologies in the lives of youth. Twenty-first century media literacy skills are now critical to healthy development and success in school, relationships and careers. Media Power Youth — in collaboration with educators, health professionals, government agencies, youth-serving organizations, foundations, and research institutions — provides media literacy curricula that teach young people the skills to produce their own positive media messages and critically analyze, evaluate and interact with all forms of media.

The Power of Our Programs

What sets Media Power Youth’s curricula apart is our holistic approach to curriculum development. We collaborate with educators, pediatricians, public health professionals, and youth-serving organizations to ensure our media literacy programs connect with young people in authentic ways, promote positive media usage, and can be implemented effectively in a variety of settings. Media Power Youth was recognized for this holistic approach to program design and execution through the 2016 Nonprofit Impact Award from the NH Center for Nonprofits. We are continuously updating and improving our programs based on the latest media research. Our 4-6 grade curriculum, Media Literacy for Safe and Healthy Choices, has been evaluated multiple times by the Center for Media and Child Health at Boston’s Children’s Hospital. As a result, it is included in the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Support Our Mission

Whether you’re a parent, educator, health professional, or active community member, we encourage you to get involved with Media Power Youth. Please contact us about volunteer opportunities or implementing one of our media literacy programs in your organization. We welcome donations as well to support the development of our programs that help young people manage the promise and perils of media.

Make a Donation

Meet Our Partners

Media Power Youth programs wouldn’t be possible without the collaboration and support of these organizations as well as many individual contributors, educators, and community leaders.

Meet Our Team

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ABOUT Heather

Heather Inyart

Executive Director
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ABOUT Jessica

Jessica Dorsey

Professional Development & Curriculum Advisor
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ABOUT Megan

Megan Fedele

Project Assistant

Meet Our Board

Board Chair

4-H Program Manager, University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension

Board Treasurer

Finance Director, Beverly Bootstraps

Board Member

Advocate, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

Board Member

Branch Manager, Bangor Savings Bank

Board Member

Account Executive, Systems Engineering

Board Member

Retired Library Director, Hampton Falls Free Library

Board Member

Information Systems Graduate Student, Cornell University

Board Member

Vice President Commercial Loan Officer, Bangor Savings Bank