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Knowing how to raise and teach children in a digital world can often be a source of great concern for adults.

This week, the internationally-reaching Digital Citizenship Summit (DigCitSummit2017.com) will be held in Provo, Utah to help parents, educators, church leaders, and others explore together how to help children both avoid the negatives of technology and leverage the positives.

Consider Elder Stevenson’s recent plea from General Conference:

“With so many appropriate and inspired uses of technology, let us use it to teach, inspire, and lift ourselves and to encourage others to become their finest…. Let us also teach and demonstrate the righteous use of technology to the rising generation and warn against the associated hazards and destructive use of it.

This Summit is unique in that it offers a dozen different free community events over the course of the two days, one of which will be livestreamed.

#UseTech4Good Youth Extravaganza

On November 2, at 6:30 p.m. the FREE #UseTech4Good Youth Extravaganza (held at the Utah Valley Convention Center) will feature youth and young adults sharing how they use technology in positive ways.

  • Doors open at 5:45.
  • The event will also free food for early birds, several guest entertainers (including LDS musicians Sara Arkell (The Piano Gal) and Jenn Blosil (of American Idol fame) and Acting UP), and giveaways (Studio C swag, anyone?)
  • Extravaganza will also be livestreamed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OuvPyLU-6Y

Other Free Community Events 

The conference itself will adjourn early on Friday to accommodate the eleven FREE Community Events that will be held all along the Wasatch Front (in Salt Lake and Utah Counties) from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Events will include the following: 

4:00 p.m.

  • “Text, Talk, Act” — Youth using a tech tool to discuss mental illness @ Magna Library in Magna
  • “Positively Social screening and #UseTech4Good youth discussion” @ Microsoft City Creek (facilitated by the International Rescue Committee; will include refugee youth)
  • “‘The Power is Yours’ — Social Media for Good” & “Everyone is a Maker – Building Stronger Communities” @ AISU in Murray
  • “Expanding conversations around tech pipeline needs in Utah” @ Silicon Slopes in Lehi
  • “Positively Social screening and #UseTech4Good youth discussion” @ Orem Library in Orem
  • “Prevention Science as a Framework for Digital Citizenship” @ Tribalry’s TribeHouse in Orem
  • “Expanding conversations around digital access & inclusion” @ Google Fiber in Provo

5:00 p.m. (open house until 7:00 p.m.)

  • “Social Media How-to Gallery Walk” (including youth examples of using social media for good) @ Canyons School District training facility in Sandy

6:30 p.m. (open house until 9:00 p.m.)

  • “Humanize the Virtual” @ AAI in South Jordan (whole-school event organized by students)

7:00 p.m.

  • “#Millennials4Good” @ Stevens-Henager in Orem
  • “Parenting in a Digital Age” @ Tribalry’s TribeHouse in Orem

Note: For those who are interested in registering for the two-day Summit meetings, there are still a few more tickets available. Parents, educators, and members of school community councils (responsible for implementing the Digital Citizenship mandate of HB213 in Utah) can get tickets for 50% off (that’s less than $50 for both days!). Students can register for the two-day participatory conference meetings for FREE!

In addition to the many community hosts, partners, and volunteers, EPIK Deliberate Digital wishes to thank the DigCitSummit2017 sponsors: The Victoria Wheatley Schmidt Charitable Fund, The Benjamin Foundation, Zion’s Bank, Impero Software, Google Fiber, BrainPOP, Social Assurity, Digital Citizenship Institute, the Utah Coalition for Educational Technology, Janelle Webster, and Casper Pieters.

For​ ​more​ ​information​ ​about​ ​the​ ​2017​ ​DigCitSummit,​ ​please​ ​visit DigCitSummit2017.com​ ​or​ ​contact​ ​Michelle​ ​Linford​ ​at​ mi******@ep**.org“>​mi******@ep**.org​.