Teaching Smart, Safe, and Kind Digital Choices at Scholarship Prep

In today’s world, technology plays a major role in how students learn, connect, and express themselves. At Scholarship Prep, we believe it’s just as important to teach how to use technology responsibly as it is to teach what to learn with it.

This September, all six Scholarship Prep campuses participated in Digital Literacy Week, a collaborative effort with our School Counselors sharing resources with teachers, bringing valuable lessons to life each morning using Common Sense Media’s award-winning Digital Citizenship Curriculum.

Through age-appropriate lessons, games, and discussions, Scholars explored what it means to be thoughtful, kind, and safe online. From balancing screen time to recognizing misinformation and practicing positive digital communication, each activity helped students think critically about their choices in our increasingly connected world.

Common Sense Media’s curriculum, developed in collaboration with Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Project Zero, empowers students to navigate online challenges with confidence and empathy. Lessons focus on six key areas:

• Media balance and well-being – Finding balance in our digital lives
• Privacy and security – Respecting everyone’s privacy
• Digital footprint and identity – Defining who we are
• Relationships and communication – Understanding the power of words and actions
• Cyberbullying, digital drama, and hate speech – Choosing kindness and courage
• News and media literacy – Becoming critical thinkers and creators

By making digital citizenship part of classroom learning, Scholarship Prep is helping students develop lifelong habits that support both academic and personal success, both online and offline.

A special thank you to Scholarship Prep South Bay School Counselor Mr. Castillo for capturing video clips of Scholars learning about these essential digital life skills.