“Renee Childs’ presentation to the Greenville University men’s basketball team concerning her research on social media was excellent! Our guys were locked in as she described the effects of social media on their lives and brains. She appropriately discussed all topics from advertising, money, the pornography industry, and the long-term effects that consuming without consideration might cause. Her interactive group-think exercise led to a deeper understanding and thought process about navigating social media in a healthy and helpful manner. She was fantastic!”
-Dr. George Barber- Head Men’s Basketball Coach, Greenville University, Greenville, IL
SPEAKING TOPICS
- Power over the media: from mundane to explicit
- Youth & media, cultivating health self-worth in a digital age
- Teen mental health and media literacy
- Positive Youth Development- how to help youth thrive
- Teen anxiety and media literacy
- An Intro to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- How to handle pornography- the unfortunate new sex-ed
- Healthy self-worth in adolescent girls
- About Youth Be Heard: how a non-profit implements positive youth development and media literacy
INVITED TALKS
Power over the media: Long-term effects of consuming without consideration. (2023, Oct. 6). Greenville University, Greenville, IL.
What parents need to know about media. (2023) Liberty Middle School, Edwardsville, IL.
How Apps Get and Keep Your Attention: for middle schoolers. (2021, Sept. 11). Media Literacy + Digital Citizenship for the Community. Hosted by: 100 Black Men of Houston, News Literary Project, & Intellect U Well, Inc.
Teen mental health and media. (2021, April, 17). News Literacy Project & Intellect U Well: Media Literacy and Digital Citizenship for Educators, Houston, TX.
Teen anxiety and media literacy. (2021, March, 20). Missouri History Museum’s Teen Professional Development Program, St. Louis, MO.
What future social workers should know about working with youth in families. (2020, Nov. 30). Guest Lecturer in Dr. Jill Schreiber’s Master of Social Work course General Practice: Individuals & Families SOCW-501-001-202035, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL.
Invited guest expert, leading the narrative formation of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s PhotoVoice youth program. (2020, Nov.-Dec.). Funded by the Science Education Partnerships Award program of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health, Madison, IL.
Healthy self-worth in adolescent girls: how we can help. (Oct. 2019). Keynote speaker for Professional Education Organization, Edwardsville, IL.
Youth & media, cultivating healthy self-worth in a digital age. (2019, Aug.). Glen Carbon Public Library, Glen Carbon, IL.
Youth & media, cultivating healthy self-worth in a digital age. (2018, Aug.). Newsong Fellowship, Edwardsville, IL.
Motherhood: the psychology of working women transitioning into parenthood. (2012, Oct).Guest Lecturer in Dr. Dan Linscott’s Psychology course, Azusa Pacific University.
Poverty and development, agency and choice. (2011, June). Guest speaker, Foothill Community Church Adult Education, Azusa, CA.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Childs, R., &Casey, N. (2021, June 18). Cultivating confidence in youth voices to change the media landscape. National Association of Media Literacy Education.
Childs, R. (2021, June 18). Youth Internet Safety Policy Proposal. National Association of Media Literacy Education.
Casey, N. & Childs, R. (2020, Nov.6-7). Youth as Creators: A Media Literacy Case Study. An introduction to Youth Be Heard, a non-profit organization that integrates media literacy and positive youth development theory. Panel Presentation at the annual Northeast Media Literacy Conference, Rhode Island College, Province, RI.
Casey, N. & Childs, R., Edmonds, D., & Cheung, C. (2020, Oct. 18). Youth as Creators: A Media Literacy Case Study. An introduction to Youth Be Heard, a non-profit organization that integrates media literacy and positive youth development theory. Critical Media Literacy Conference of the Americas, Oakland, CA
Childs, R. (2020, June). Youth Internet Safety Policy Proposal. Paper accepted to present at the International Media Literacy Research Symposium, Porto, Portugal (postponed due to COVID-19).
Carter, L., Chambers, O., Childs, R., Meneses, C., Porter, M., Pritchard, S. & Wahnee, J. (2017, Nov.). Beyond SEX ED: The importance of consent and media literacy for American youth. A Continuing Education Unit offered to individuals working with youth on how to support young people in building healthy relationship skills and provide tools for consent and media literacy, Washington University in St. Louis, MO.