Shady Side Academy Senior School recently welcomed Dino Ambrosi, founder of Project Reboot and creator of the TEDx talk "The Battle for Your Time: Exposing the Costs of Social Media," to kick off a powerful series of engagements around digital responsibility. Over three thought-provoking sessions with students, families, and faculty, Ambrosi challenged the community to rethink their relationship with technology and embrace intentional, balanced digital habits.
In his talk to students during assembly, Ambrosi introduced the concept of the "digital pacifier," explaining how moments of discomfort often lead to mindless scrolling as a form of avoidance, creating an endless loop of distraction. By highlighting how phones serve as “dopamine factories” in our pockets, he emphasized the profound impact technology has on how we think, feel, and even what we believe. Rather than advocating for the wholesale elimination of phones or social media, Ambrosi focused on reshaping our intentions, environments, and habits to ensure that technology lifts us up rather than weighs us down.
Ambrosi’s evening session with families built on these themes, offering actionable strategies to create healthier digital habits at home. He encouraged parents to reflect on their own relationships with technology while guiding their children to use devices with purpose and balance. During the faculty meeting, Ambrosi collaborated with educators to explore ways to support students in managing their time effectively and reclaiming focus in an age of hyperconnectivity.
One of the most impactful takeaways from Ambrosi’s visit was his reminder that technology has incredible power—to connect and elevate us, but also to influence us in ways we may not realize. Through intentional changes in behavior and environment, students and families can reclaim their time and focus on what truly matters.
Ambrosi’s visit was the first in a series of events designed to equip the Shady Side community with tools to foster digital responsibility. These conversations will continue as students engage in advisories, task forces, and discussions aimed at crafting a well-informed Senior School phone-use policy by May.
By sparking reflection and dialogue, Dino Ambrosi has inspired Shady Side Academy to take meaningful steps toward a healthier, more intentional relationship with technology—one that prioritizes balance, connection, and purpose in a digitally interconnected world.