Chelsea News

The evidence is in: Smartphones, social media, and other technological devices are addictive and corrosive to adolescent development. In addition, these technologies are deleterious to learning, retention, and prolonged serious study. The presence of smartphones and social media has caused a fundamental rewiring of childhood, bringing with it immense challenges for families to navigate.

At the same time, artificial intelligence and automation are bringing transformative change to both the classroom and the modern economy. Young people will graduate into a world where modern technology is not only ubiquitous, but also increasingly necessary for professional success. Given the rate and nature of modern technological progress, classical schools are faced with the challenge of crafting an approach to technology that is appropriately proactive and protective—one that recognizes the contributions of new technologies, but also maintains that they must serve human life and the human family, not the other way around.

So how should Catholic schools balance their response to our technological moment? How can classical schools partner with families to protect childhood from the dangers of smartphones and social media? How should schools approach the tech issue to ensure students are prepared for both this life and the next?

This summer, Chelsea Academy is proud to explore these pressing questions and more at our second annual conference, "Screen-Free Childhood: Cultivating Virtue in the Internet Age". We’ll convene leading voices at the intersection of technology and family issues on the campus of Chelsea Academy in beautiful Front Royal, Virginia, to discuss how schools should navigate the challenges and opportunities of modern technology.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Clare Morrell is director of EPPC’s Technology and Human Flourishing Project and the author of the forthcoming book, The Tech Exit: A Practical Guide to Freeing Kids and Teens from Smartphones.
• Brad Littlejohn is the Director of Programs and Education at American Compass. He previously served as the president of Davenant Institute and fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. He is the author of Called to Freedom: Retrieving Christian Liberty in an Age of License.
• Emma Waters is a Policy Analyst in the Center for Technology and the Human Person at The Heritage Foundation. Her work focuses on family, biotechnology, and reproductive medicine. Mrs. Waters is a former Visiting Fellow with Independent Women’s Forum and a monthly contributor with World magazine.
• Emile Doak is Executive Director of the Chelsea Academy Foundation. Mr. Doak came to Chelsea from The American Conservative magazine, where he led the organization as Executive Director. He has written widely on issues of faith, culture, and technology

...with more to be announced!

Full details and registration here.