Scott Fitch came to Newark High School March 20th and spoke to the full study body at a morning assembly about NHS PRIDE characteristics, with an emphasis on responsible social media use.
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Fitch, who is employed by Jostens and coaches the U17 USA National basketball team and is the Varsity Boys basketball coach at Fairport High School, has spoken to over 500 schools and over 500,000 students in recent years about the impact of social media in his presentation called “Pause Before You Post.”
At NHS, he outlined the importance of kindness and respect, and reminded students that because nothing ever really disappears on social media, their words in posts and comments are very important. Fitch shared stories about students who were bullied online, and how it not only negatively impacted them, but their friends, families and teammates.
He also shared experiences in which some of his former players posted photos or messages that caused serious consequences. He reminded students that employers may look them up on social media before offering them an interview and colleges or sports teams may search through their social media before accepting them or offering them a position on the team.
Fitch tied these messages to how special Newark is and how much we look out for one another, and said students need to remember to apply that kindness every day in school and online.
"The assembly on Wednesday was fantastic. Students were entertained and engaged _ I even heard them discussing it throughout the rest of the day,” said Lindsay Engels, who teaches English 11, AP Language and is the English Department Leader. “I was very proud with the way in which our kids responded to the message about the dangers of social media. Well-done, Reds!”
“Mr. Fitch did a wonderful job capturing the important message of responsible online use to our students, and connecting it to our PRIDE characteristics. He shared powerful stories and personal experiences that engaged the students. I was so pleased that we were able to bring this opportunity to the Newark High School community,” said NHS Principal Kelly A. Zielke.
“Scott Fitch was an incredible, engaging speaker. The way that his message aligned with our PRIDE expectations really supported our work at NHS. We hope that these valuable lessons resonate with our students for years to come, " said Sandra Ordan, NHS Director of Innovation and Grant Services.