What you need to know:
- The documentary “Screenagers Next Chapter” was screened on Nov. 21 in the Lynbrook theater.
- The film covers the effects of social media on mental health and methods for teenagers to cope with stress and anxiety.
- The screening of the sequel “Screenagers Under the Influence” and the Q-and-A section will be on Jan. 29, 2025.
The Parent Teacher Student Association hosted a screening of “Screenagers Next Chapter” on Nov. 21 in the theater to open discussions about the effects of the digital age on mental health. Released in 2019, the documentary follows director Delaney Ruston as she formulates solutions to regulate stress in teenagers. PTSA hosted this screening so students and parents could learn more about mental health and cultivate skills to manage anxiety caused by reliance on personal devices.
“One of the key points of this documentary is knowing what the limits of technology are,” sophomore and PTSA secretary Carson Chan said. “Parents shouldn’t necessarily restrict their kids from using their phone or social media, but both students and parents should be aware of what to do when things get out of hand.”
In September, during the monthly Principal’s Coffee, in which Principal Maria Jackson meets with parents to discuss school updates, parents brought up concerns that their students’ devices were causing them to become more distracted, resulting in a lack of sleep. Teachers also noticed similar effects in their classrooms, prompting the school to bring awareness to this topic.
“One of the PTSA’s goals is to facilitate collaboration between parents and the school to support students,” PTSA co-president Joann Martin said. “Part of that is supporting their mental well-being, in addition to their academic and physical well-being.”
After the PTSA chose the documentary, Jackson approved “Screenagers Next Chapter”. Assistant principal David Erwin and attendance accounting specialist Jena Rajabally partnered with PTSA to contact the Screenagers Project, which manages the documentary screenings.
This particular documentary, “Screenagers Next Chapter”, follows the journey of multiple teenagers as they wrestle and overcome the challenges they encounter growing up in a digital age. The film emphasizes the importance of clear and vulnerable communication. One habit it mentions is using “I” statements to focus on one’s own responsibilities instead of accusing the other person and escalating the situation.
“The most important thing I got from the movie is that we need to listen to our children without judgment and prejudice and make them feel heard,” Rajabally said.
The experiences faced by the students in the documentary resonated with Lynbrook students as well.
“After watching this film, I want to get off the digital world more,” freshman Chelsea Xin said. “When I see people on Instagram stories looking happy, I’ll just tell myself that it’s not that deep and I don’t have to pressure myself to be like them.”
At the same time, some viewers remarked that electronic use may play a smaller role in stress at Lynbrook than academic competition and pressure.
“Most Lynbrook students face mental health challenges that are related to academic pressure, which wasn’t addressed much in the movie,” parent Airin Adianto said. “But the key takeaway that students should not spend excessive time on screens is still relevant.”
Academic stress is a recurring theme seen throughout the Lynbrook community, resulting in heightened mental health awareness. “Screenagers Next Chapter” addresses social media and electronic use in the broader context of mental health.
“Our school has established wellness as an area we want to work on improving,” Assistant principal and Wellness Committee lead David Erwin said. “You can see a thread of wellness initiatives throughout Lynbrook such as the establishment of ASB Legislative Council’s mental health committee, the Equity Task Force’s wellness subgroup and the new Wellness Committee.”
After seeing the success of the first screening, the school will also hold a screening of its sequel “Screenagers Under the Influence” and a Q-and-A session featuring one of the producers of the Screenagers series, Lisa Tabb, on Jan. 29, 2025.
“The film provides real-life examples from teenagers that both students and parents can relate to,” PTSA vice president of parental education Madhulika Sathe said. “In doing so, it prompts these conversations between students and parents to find balance between the negative mental health aspect and the positive benefits of technology.”
