Helping parents and their children develop the skills to safely and successfully navigate an increasingly online world
Recent studies have shown that two-thirds of parents feel overwhelmed by their children’s tech-centered lives, while nearly half of all teens believe they spend too much time online and that social media harms people their age. Unfortunately, they’re both right to be concerned.
Teens spending more than three hours a day on social media have double the risk for mental health problems like depression and anxiety than those who don’t. And when asked about the impact of social media on their body image, 46% of adolescents ages 13 to 17 said social media makes them feel worse.
Ready Set Screen puts two decades of experience in media literacy and teen education to work in combatting these trends, with a clear focus on ending the ongoing teen mental health crisis and preventing the next one.
Our balanced, research-driven approach is proven to work
Rather than relying on temporary solutions like rules, restrictions, or age limits, Ready Set Screen’s programs combine media literacy education and preventive mental health techniques to foster the trust, collaboration, and critical-thinking skills parents and children need to safely and successfully navigate today’s digital media landscape.
This balanced approach to technology and media teaches practical skills that protect against the potential harms of digital media while allowing kids to enjoy the positive aspects — like connection and creativity.
“We named ourselves Ready Set Screen to communicate that the appearance of screens at home is inevitable, and that preparation is the key to helping parents of infants through 18-year-olds prevent the next tech-related mental health crisis.”
- Media should help kids, not harm them
- Kids and parents need real, actionable solutions (not just tips and advice)
- Education and mentorship matter more than surveillance and monitoring
- Empowered kids become resilient, informed digital citizens
Two decades of change-making non-profit experience
Ready Set Screen is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization built on 20 years of experience teaching media literacy to teens in a classroom setting. As such, we’re 100% focused on creating measurable impact – with no bias or connection to the companies at the heart of the issues teens face.
Our non-profit status also means donations and grants are essential to helping us achieve our mission of building a future where digital media supports, not harms, the next generation. You can donate here to support our work directly, or reach out to (email address) to discuss possible funding or partnership opportunities.
Ready Set Screen's Leadership Team
Jennifer Berger, Founder, Executive Director, and President
A tireless advocate for helping teens become smart consumers of media of all kinds, Jennifer Berger recently reached the 20-year mark of working full-time in media literacy education, drawing on a passion for making girls and women aware of how media impacts them.
That passion started in her college years at University of Michigan when she saw Dr. Jean Kilbourne’s seminal film “Killing Us Softly.” Since 2001, Jennifer has helped teens question media and take their own action through her work. Berger transformed it from an all-volunteer activist group into a first-of-its-kind nonprofit, which helped more than 10,000 teens question their media and understand how it can affect their self esteem.
She recently led the organization through another transformation, bringing media literacy and more to parents, kids, and teens, through a nationally available program, The Social Media Driver’s License. You can learn more about Jennifer at jenniferlberger.com
Liz Sweet, Board Treasurer
As the founder of Connected Speaking, Liz helps professionals build confidence in their voice and leadership. For over a decade, she worked as a philanthropic advisor, leading training for funders and nonprofits. Liz loved the work but often felt anxious about speaking in groups—until she discovered a transformative approach to presence-based, authentic speaking that reshaped how she showed up in both work and life.
Now, she partners with organizations to provide communication training that builds lasting confidence and skills. Her diverse career includes advising family foundations, working in business development across industries, partnering with ministries of education, advocating at the United Nations, facilitating donor education programs, and teaching yoga (where you can find her every Monday at her local studio). Connect with her on LinkedIn here.
Esther Pearl, Board Secretary
Esther is the President of Nell Productions and Founder of Reel Stories. She has spent over 20 years working in Production Management in the entertainment industry. The majority of Esther’s film career was spent at Pixar Animation Studios where her feature film credits include Academy Award-winning films The Incredibles, Wall-e, and Monsters, Inc. Outside her work at Pixar, her credits include films such as Titanic, Starship Troopers, Armageddon, What Dreams May Come, and Boy Kills World.
Sources
The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health, 2023
Pew Research study on Teens, Social Media and Technology, 2022
Adolescent and Young Adult Specialty Clinic at Johns Hopkins, study on the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents with eating disorders, 2022