Author: Sydney Robinson
School’s Out, Driving’s In: A Teen’s Summer Driving Guide
by Shreya Rajesh, Media Power Youth Student Volunteer, Academy for Science and Design
Ah, summer. That magical time when the sun is shining, cold smoothies are a daily essential, and every teen with a license turns into the designated Uber driver for their friend group. School’s out, freedom’s in—and so is a lot more driving.
But hold up. While you’re planning beach trips and late-night snack runs, the roads are doing their own thing: getting busier, riskier, and honestly? A little unhinged. So if you’re a new teen driver (or a parent who loves one), buckle up. Let’s talk about summer driving. KEEP READING
NH Teens Pave the Way to Safer Driving
Obtaining a driver’s license is a significant milestone for teens. It is often seen as a symbol of freedom, giving youth aged 16 and up more independence and access to new opportunities. It also helps them maintain relationships and connections with their peers through in-person visits and group activities. A driver’s license contributes to our teens’ social and emotional well-being by allowing them to develop and refine self-awareness, social-awareness, better judgement, and decision-making skills. KEEP READING
Retrain Your Brain – Tips to Manage Screen Time
By Geo Elasmar, 2024-2025 MPY Youth Advisory Board Member
Most of us know we spend too much time on our phones, and yet breaking the habit is still painfully difficult. Social media platforms, streaming services, and even productivity apps are all designed to keep us hooked. If you’ve ever tried (and failed) to limit your screen time, you’re not alone. The good news is that there are practical, realistic ways to take back control without cutting yourself off completely. As a member of MPY’s Youth Media Squad, I wanted to share a few strategies that have helped me strike a better balance. KEEP READING
How to Avoid Being the Internet’s Punchline This April Fools’ Day
by Shreya Rajesh, Media Power Youth Student Volunteer, Academy for Science and Design
Congratulations! You have officially entered the most chaotic day on the internet. April Fools’ used to be about harmless fun: your sibling telling you your shoelace is untied (it’s not), or your friend swapping the sugar for salt (disgusting, but respectable). But now? Now we have AI-generated lies, deep fake videos, and corporations dropping fake announcements for products that don’t exist. Remember when your sibling would set up a bucket of water above the door just to watch you get soaked? The internet’s basically doing that now, but with misinformation.
If you want to make it through April 1st without falling for the jokes, follow this highly comprehensive guide to avoiding digital deception.
Teens React: Social Media Misinformation
The media landscape of today’s world is constantly changing, and it can be challenging to keep up with it all. Social media content spreads quickly through peer-to-peer sharing and reposting, which means inaccurate information may not be caught until after it goes viral and reaches a large audience.
Some social media platforms are currently changing the way they moderate posts. For example, Meta has announced that they are canceling their contracts with third-party fact-checking services, and switching to a new “Community Notes” feature where users are responsible for assessing the information they see for truthfulness and flagging inaccuracies. KEEP READING
Seeking High School Students for 2025-26 Advisory Board
Media Power Youth is a youth-development organization that inspires young people to engage with media in thoughtful and creative ways that support their physical and mental well-being. We offer rich learning experiences on media and technology that help students, teachers, and communities build media literacy skills and use media responsibly to advocate for the causes and people that matter most. Through our youth advisory board, the Youth Media Squad, we partner with teens to create new youth programs that address the current issues facing young people. Members also have opportunities to build new media creation and advocacy skills. We are now accepting applications through April 14th, 2025. KEEP READING
Valentine’s Day: A Digital Love Story (But Like… In Real Life Too)
by Shreya Rajesh, Media Power Youth Student Volunteer, Academy for Science and Design
Valentine’s Day isn’t just for couples anymore. Teens have officially redefined it as an opportunity to show love and appreciation for friends, family, and—let’s be honest—yourself. Thanks to social media, we can now shout out our besties and crushes with a double-tap. But there’s more to it than just emojis and heart filters. Technology has opened up a new world of creative ways to show your love, and it’s not all just for your Instagram. KEEP READING
New Year, New Media Habits: 2025 Resolutions
By Shreya Rajesh, Media Power Youth Student Volunteer, Academy for Science and Design
Let’s be real: our screens are everywhere. We use them for work, fun, socializing, and sometimes even as an escape. But as the new year begins, it’s time to rethink how much power we give our screens. Whether you’re scrolling through TikTok, answering work emails, or binge-watching your favorite shows, it’s easy to get lost in the digital world.
This year, let’s take control of our media habits—because who wants to start 2025 feeling like the screen is running the show? Here are some resolution suggestions that will help you keep your screen time healthy, balanced, and purposeful—so you can live your life both online and offline. KEEP READING
MPY’s First Youth Film Festival
Media Power Youth held our first ever Youth Film Festival on August 17th celebrating the artistic works and visions of young filmmakers. Eight unique short films captivated families and community members throughout a highly-anticipated morning of cinema.
Summer Filmmaking Camps 2024
For the third year in a row, our summer filmmaking camps were an immense success! Filmmakers aged 10-14 explored a wide range of topics from protecting wildlife and ecosystems, to how technology affects the well-being of our communities. We discovered how to use technology in healthy ways while also having fun!