Collin Kartchner is an advocate for safe social media usage and has made the decision to devote his time to teaching the youth and parents of the world the dangers and truths of social media while also explaining the positive ways it can be used.
On Wednesday, Kartchner visited Emery High School to promote his mission with two presentations during the school day as well as an evening session for parents. According to Kartchner, social media and its negative effects on youth’s mental health, coupled with too much screen time each day, is the underlying link to the current rise in teenage depression, anxiety, self-harm, eating disorders and suicide.
Kartchner stressed that “likes” do not equate an individual’s self worth. He also works to educate parents on the dangers of social media and how parents need to strive to tell their children that they are more than enough without popularity.
As a way to demonstrate the good impact that social media can have on the world, Kartchner has raised a large amount of money for hurricane victims, orphans in South America and children that are battling cancer. He has also worked to erect billboards with money raised in the short time of nine minutes.
Kartchner has spoken over 500 times just this year to spread his message and Emery High was eager to welcome him. Teens have commented on Kartchner’s presentation before, expressing that his speech has even stopped a young woman from taking her own life.
A separate session was hosted Wednesday evening for the parents to give Kartchner time to work with them and help them focus on the bigger picture. He is famous for his saying “showing your kids you love them is two percent effort and 98 percent just putting down your phone.”
The presentations were made possible by the Emery County Sheriff’s Office, Emery School District and Emery Telcom.
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- Photos by Dusty Butler
