 | "I love this approach to instilling good technology habits in your kids: instead of setting new rules for them to follow, work with them to create practical standards for everyone in the family—yourself included.” |
| Melinda Gates Co-founder The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation |
 | “I love seeing the data on the screen during the discussions. It shows you the bigger picture, across your class, your school, and in the country. It also made the student discussion better because you can speak up if you want to but, at the end of the day, all the answers are on the screen so you are participating either way. In the discussions, I love hearing other people’s answers because then I get to learn why they feel that way. Sometimes, I even change my answer because classmates open my eyes to other perspectives and ways of thinking.” |
| Annie 9th Grade Student |
 | "I really want to thank my school for getting #WinAtSocial because every time I want to get a new app or game, my parents sit me down and walk me through the playbooks so I learn all about the app/game before getting it." |
| 4th Grade Student, St. Mary's Episcopal School, TN |
 | "One of my primary goals as a technology teacher is to empower students to become effective producers of media, not just passive consumers. The Social Institute program supports this mission by providing lessons that encourage critical thinking and engagement with real-world issues, such as exploring the power and complexity of humanitarian aid, navigating the challenges of AI-generated content during elections, and managing dynamics within group chats." |
| Julie Hampton Middle School Technology Teacher Pace Academy |
 | "When using other free online materials, the teachers found that the materials were not very engaging. We are excited to use the positive lessons from TSI because when we introduce it, our teachers are laughing, smiling, and asking, "When do we start?” |
| Lynn Girolamo Instructional Technology Teacher Greece Central School District |
 | "I attended one of The Social Institute's partner schools and also became a Student Ambassador at TSI. I've seen first-hand how their student-led approach impacts lesson content and the interactive #WinAtSocial platform in amazing ways. Lessons meet students on their level, which can make all the difference when it comes to discussing topics about social media or student well-being." |
| Kharynton TSI Student Ambassador |
 | “Wow. I think this looks amazing. You can tell you put a great deal of work on this. I believe kids and their families along with school communities will greatly benefit. You will get feedback along the way of what works and what doesn’t. Well done.” |
| Greg Dale Director of Sport Psychology and Leadership Programs Duke University |
 | “As a school we swore that we would never adopt an outside program, but after we saw #WinAtSocial we were practically doing a happy dance! We loved seeing how this education could be tailored to our school community.” |
| Katie Sentilles Middle School Counselor Hutchison |
 | "The world is changing, and so are our students. They are fully immersed in the world of technology and social media, more so than ever before,” “Our district chose The Social Institute because we see the need for teaching our students how to navigate that world intentionally and responsibly. The Social Institute fills that need with its innovative and timely lessons and commitment to involving student leaders in the ideas and planning of those lessons." |
| Shiloh Blasdel Social-Emotional Learning Teacher South Hutchison Elementary South Hutchison, Kansas |
 | “Amazing presentation! The subject is near and dear to my heart because I'm a child advertising/marketing attorney for a large media company with a new Lovett student (6th grade). So excited to hear that Lovett is partnering with The Social Institute. Thank you!” |
| Pamela L. Lovett School Parent |
 | “The Social Institute has a well-thought-out curriculum. The lessons are easy to implement, and the students enjoy the interactive design. I have taught other digital citizenship curriculums and Social Institute's is far superior. The parent education component (resources and webinars) really builds the partnership between the Social Institute and our school community.” |
| Nicky Meyer Program Integration Director & Head Librarian Carlthorp School |
 | "Our partnership with The Social Institute has been a 'game-changer'. We struggled to keep up with educating our community about the ever-changing digital world. TSI's #WinAtSocial Curriculum takes that burden from us and expertly shares in a way that connects with children, families, and faculty." |
| Stacia McFadden Chief Information Officer Lovett School (K-12) |
 | "Before we started using #WinAtSocial, my students would roll their eyes when I announced doing an SEL lesson, but now they ask when we are doing the next one." |
| Kelly Colquitt 8th Grade Teacher and 8th Grade Girls' Dean Pace Academy, GA |
 | "Throughout high school, adults told me that social media was only a negative thing. For us, social media and the internet are our whole world. Once my high school teamed up with TSI, I saw their positive approach to social media first hand and I wanted to step up and be involved in supporting their student-led content in the early stages of the company. Now, I’m in college and I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity than to spend my summer interning with TSI. They say that if you do what you love you’ll never work a day in your life, it seems as though that is the case when you work with a team that feels like a family. " |
| Abby College Senior |
 | “Teachers are beyond thrilled with this. They keep coming up to me to say thanks for bringing this to the school!” |
| Dr. Rich Edwards Middle School Assistant Head & Academic Dean Heathwood Hall, SC |
 | "I was a summer intern with The Social Institute, where I would advise on their curriculum lessons, record mentor videos, and brainstorm SEL programs with school leaders. It was extremely fulfilling to see my own ideas emerge in the content that will be used by students across the country. It shows how student-led and authentic TSI is. I definitely believe TSI has created its most dynamic curriculum ideas by promoting an environment where diversity is celebrated. By hearing from a range of people of different ages, races, and genders we are collaborating to produce lessons of inclusivity." |
| Brianna College Junior |
 | "Kids are SO pumped about the material. We have done many other initiatives and I have never seen the kids this excited. You're speaking their language. The message is resonating." |
| Dr. Julie Mayring Middle School Director Bay Ridge Prep, NY |
 | "Our #WinAtSocial Program has been a big hit with our kids, parents, and educators. If you don’t have a resource like The Social Institute helping you equip your students, parents, and faculty around social media, you are like a coach without a complete playbook of your daily responsibilities as a school leader – you'll always be on the defensive rather than the offensive.” |
| Doreen Kelly Head of School Ravenscroft, NC |
 | "I love how interactive the #WinAtSocial Lessons are. It is nice how we can discuss and click answers so it feels like a game." |
| Sascha TSI Student Ambassador |
 | "Especially in such a challenging time, I’ve always felt at home working with my fellow Student Ambassadors. I have personally used the #WinAtSocial at my school, and it has been such a great help for managing the stress of a soon-to-be college-bound lifestyle. The Social Institute gives students like me an opportunity to find cool ways to inspire our peers and build fun ways to connect with them!" |
| Ryan TSI Student Ambassador |
 | "Ravenscroft is proud to partner with The Social Institute (TSI) to bring a comprehensive social media education program to support our students, faculty, and parents. TSI customized the program specifically to our school's needs and interests. The robust social media curriculum TSI developed is beautifully woven into Ravenscroft's existing leadership program. The concepts are developmentally appropriate and the real life issues are engaging to students.” |
| Colleen Ramsden Former Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs Ravenscroft School |
 | "I love that #WinAtSocial Lessons are very engaging and cover topics that are relevant to students or current events. It makes the lessons interesting and I feel like I finish every lesson with a new understanding of what we discussed." |
| Mia TSI Student Ambassador |
 | "I’ve always been really passionate and involved in the mental health groups and DEI in my school and I thought TSI encapsulated all of what I was involved in and was passionate about into one company. I ended up really resonating with their mission and positive approach to social media and conversations about mental health. I thought my input would be really valuable having just graduated from Ravenscroft, a school that TSI has been with since their beginning. After I saw it in the classroom I knew it was something I wanted to get behind the scenes of. I wanted to give back to a program that gave so much to Ravenscroft after Ravenscroft gave so much to me. I never had an internship and found why they say that working at a startup is so valuable. I was able to get such great hands-on experience that you can never get anywhere else. I literally had a one-on-one with the CEO of the company after watching her product in action. That was the coolest thing." |
| Jackson College Freshman |
 | “The Social Institute's seminar on first generational digital coaching is a must for all parents! Laura's approach to social media and adolescence is unique and simultaneously educational and refreshing. In a matter of minutes, she levels the playing field between parents and children by explaining the different platforms, their organization, intent, purpose and how to navigate them. As a parent of four children, I entered the seminar deeply concerned about the potential negative impact of social media in the short and long-term. I never considered that it could have a positive or impactful benefit. Laura seminar changed that. I left inspired by all the fresh, new and positive communication techniques she shares to put you and your child in control of these social media platforms. Education is power and I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from Laura.” |
| Amy Hepburn Mom of four Executive Director of WomenOne |
 | “Growing up with social media being a major part of my life, it is difficult to always hear the negative, but hearing The Social Institute's positive, contemporary approach was super helpful. I could really relate to Laura's real-life examples and "social sprint” scenarios that she shared with us. After the assembly, Laura and I walked through my Instagram account together and talked about positive posts and using social media to represent yourself in the best way. Thanks Laura for this new, refreshing approach to social media.” |
| Cecilia 11th Grade Student |
 | "I love how engaging #WinAtSocial lessons are. My past schools have tried various other platforms, and after a few questions they got really boring. With #WinAtSocial lessons, the content gets mixed up with current events, facts, questions, and videos to get everyone involved in the lesson." |
| Ariana TSI Student Ambassador |
 | "Whoa, I am really impressed. The amount of detail and structure is impressive. You answered all my questions before I even asked!" |
| Jennifer Knox Director of Character Education & Ethical Leadership Woodward Academy, GA |
 | “The Social Institute’s "How To Win at Social Media" presentation was one of the top presentations I've seen in the past few years at our U.S. Olympic Athletes' Advisory Committee Meeting. Laura gave us simple, useful tactics to strengthen your reputation as either a current or former athlete. I would recommend her to anyone who needs clarity on their social media approach or who might just need a crash course on everything social media and the different opportunities to consider." |
| Mechelle L. Freeman Track & Field Olympian and World Champion Founder of TrackGirlz |
 | “My son couldn’t stop talking about The Social Institute's presentation. After the workshop, we had a 40-minute drive home together, and for the entire ride, he talked about what he learned. Even when I got into the car and I began to make a call, he told me to put the phone away before the car started. I couldn’t believe it!! I now know he is making smart decisions on his own.” |
| Jennifer Parent of a 15-year-old |
 | “The Social Institute’s approach to 'social' is refreshing. Having a child that has grown up with technology and where online interaction is ubiquitous, we find it difficult to say NO. Seeing the positive in this interaction and offering caution and advice to our young is a much more constructive approach.” |
| Rollis Reisner Father of a 16-year-old |
 | "In my role as Chief Information Officer at Ravenscroft, I have always believed in helping parents see the positive aspects of social media -- it's not all negative as we are often led to believe. When I was first introduced to Laura Tierney and The Social Institute and heard Laura's passion for helping students win the game of social media I knew Ravenscroft had found the right partner to help us integrate, at a deep level, a program focused on social media and digital citizenship that would connect easily with the School's Lead From Here initiative. What I appreciate most about Laura is that she brings a unique and real approach to students and parents that she combines with a level of enthusiasm that is simply contagious. Ravenscroft is fortunate to be working with Laura and the Social Institute in a one of a kind partnership for independent schools." |
| Jason Ramsden Former Chief Information Officer Ravenscroft School |
 | “Laura possesses great insight into social media and the communication skills to share her knowledge with a variety of audiences - whether it is young women, parents, brands or institutions. Her lessons are smart, digestible and practical - they are "real world" tested. My personal brand has been impacted by Laura's fine work as she's helped me transform my own LinkedIn profile to ensure we're effectively using the tools specific to that important social platform.” |
| Laura Gentile Senior Vice President espnW and ESPN |
 | "As a U.S. athlete preparing for the 2020 Summer Olympics and launching a business, Laura coached me on how social media can strengthen my reputation by staying true to the best version of myself. Given her own sports experience and her work with the Women’s Sports Foundation, she “gets” athletes and what they have to do on a regular basis, while balancing social media on top of everything else. While working with Laura and her team, I got my own customized “Athlete Playbook”, an overview of my personal brand and the best moves I could make across social media platforms. I recommend The Social Institute to all athletes looking to up their social media game!" |
| Valerie Arioto USA Softball Team Member |
 | "At Christ School, we have had a number of speakers on the topic of social media, but The Social Institute was able to connect with our students in a more authentic way than I’ve seen before. Laura's approach to “win at the social media game” was refreshing and informative to both our students and faculty. It’s clear that Laura's extensive background working with high profile athletes gave enormous credence to our students in her real-life examples. I hope to continue working with Laura in creating a social media curriculum for all grades in the future." |
| Jeff Miles Director of Student Life Christ School |
 | "I know our school will be buzzing with positive affects from The Social Institute’s work for a long time. The benefit of having Laura Tierney coach my daughter and the school community on how to make positive choices with social media is a life lesson! When my daughter came home after the student presentation, she advised me to “Pay attention, Mom, Laura knows what she is talking about." The parent presentation that evening was then packed with solid information, relevant examples, a clear message and step by step recommendations that will benefit the Hanks house. I really enjoyed how The Social Institute tailored the presentation to our own school’s needs and provided tools to navigate this ever changing world of social media. I came home surprisingly refreshed and optimistic that there is even more possibility to social media than I knew of. These teens have influences from social media that are shaping who they become as individuals, and I see tremendous value in learning technology simultaneously with my child." |
| Cynthia Hanks Mom of a 7th Grader Saint Raphael School |
 | "We are thrilled to engage in a three year partnership with Laura Tierney and The Social Institute. Our students and parents have longed for a sustained, systemic message about how to connect conversations, use, and education about technology and social media. Laura's engaging, positive, and developmentally appropriate work with our faculty, students, and parents allows us to have an ongoing, supportive, and educational dialogue about how to leverage social media for respectful outcomes. We feel our commitment to community health must include such a systemic educational approach to understanding the potential positive impact "social" can bring. The Social Institute is changing the way families and schools partner to understand "social." Glad to be a part of it." |
| Susan Perry Former Assistant Head of School for Student Affairs Ravenscroft School |
 | "While social media is all around us today, we need to learn to use it wisely. When Laura Tierney came to talk to both my school and volunteer organization, I like how Laura focused on the positives of social media, explaining that there are many people in your “social game”, and while there are role models for all of us, there are also younger children that look up to us for guidance. Being that Laura grew up with social media also, I thought that this speech was different than any other because I, and many of my friends could relate to the message being given. My biggest takeaway was the analogy of being given a microphone in front of a crowd and the people are waiting for you to speak, just like the world is waiting for you to post a picture, whether good or bad, they will react. You should always think before you post." |
| Anna 9th Grade Student Cary Academy |
 | “So many teachers have commented on how excited they are about the new curriculum.” |
| Dr. Sarah Wike Director of Educational Technology (also known as Ed Tech) Ravenscroft School, NC |
 | “THANK YOU! Last night's presentation was simply wonderful, urgent, relevant, helpful, informative and engaging and fun! I am so impressed by how much you covered and how you were able to help us shift our perspectives and remain engaged and open.” |
| Rachel Dratch Director of Educational Innovation PRIZMAH |