There are issues facing the students and families of the Red Hook Central School District that warrant deep discussion regarding root causes and shared solutions for creating a stronger community. Each year, the Red Hook Reads initiative will spearhead addressing one of these issues through book study, group sharing sessions, and expert lectures open to the entire community. In addition, this page will be continuously updated with interesting videos, podcast links and other content that add to understanding the subject.
This year's subject is a book by Jonathan Haidt:
"The Anxious Generation"
The book and discussion around it explores the critical issues affecting today's youth, including the impact of screen-based childhood and social media on adolescent mental health.
Five Big Questions will guide the discussion:
What challenges do children face in today's world?
How can we promote children's well-being and personal growth?
How can we help families and schools prepare children for the future?
How can our commitment to care help balance technology and human connection?
How can we strengthen social connections and community bonds?
Calendar of Events
Resources for Continued Learning
Learn more about "The Anxious Generation" and themes relating to the book through these links:
Official "The Anxious Generation" resource page
More information
To learn more about Red Hook Reads, e-mail Matthew Funigiello, RHCSD K-12 Music Department Coordinator, at mfunigiello@rhcsd.org.
You can also read an overview announcing the program here.
Sign Up Today to Join Red Hook Reads!
READ - CONNECT - NAVIGATE TOMORROW
Following the successful launch of a series of staff book study sessions in the fall, the Red Hook Reads community conversation will expand to interested Red Hook community members with book studies, conversations, film screenings, and workshops that began in January. A limited number of free copies of "The Anxious Generation" are available. Community members are encouraged to read the book and pass it along to others to spark meaningful, transformative conversations.
Visit this sign up page to join the Red Hook Reads program for 2024-25.
Why read "The Anxious Generation"?
While community members are welcome to attend discussions and the expert lectures included in this initiative without reading the book, "The Anxious Generation" is an informative work that lifts the veil on the true depth of a problem many of us thought we already understood. Haidt's work analyzes disturbing trends in adolescent mental health and explores the corrosive consequences of screen-based childhood and unrestricted access to social media and the internet on adolescents' social and emotional health and development.
The collective action problems highlighted in Haidt’s book provide clear and actionable opportunities for communities to work together to improve current conditions for children while deepening and enriching community experience. Work done in the Red Hook community inspired by this book has the opportunity to impact all community members through increased engagement and improved mental and social health, and particularly the health, well-being, and resilience of our community’s most precious resource: our children.
Community Book Study Registration
Join the Community Book Study!
Red Hook Public Library and Tivoli Free Library invite you to be part of the Red Hook Reads initiative by signing up for our formal book study of Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation. This unique opportunity brings community members together to explore the challenges facing today’s children and collaborate on meaningful solutions.
Why Register?
- Registration is required to participate in the library-hosted book study sessions.
- All registered participants will receive a complimentary copy of The Anxious Generation, provided by the libraries.
Spaces are limited, so don’t miss out on this chance to connect with neighbors, spark thoughtful conversations, and dive into this thought-provoking book.
Sign up today through the links below to reserve your spot and claim your book!
Red Hook Reads in Focus: Watch, Learn, Connect
An August 2024 Ted Talks Daily conversation with Jonathan Haidt:
Jonathan Haidt discusses "The Anxious Generation" and related issues on CBS Saturday Morning in March 2024:
Jonathan Haidt talks "The Anxious Generation" on Morning Joe in March 2024:
Partner Organizations
Red Hook Reads is presented by the Red Hook Central School District in partnership with the Red Hook and Tivoli Free libraries, with funding in the form of a $3,000 Red Hook Education Foundation grant to purchase roughly 200 copies of "The Anxious Generation" which will be distributed to the community to inspire conversation and action.