Fusion Academy Hosts Film Exploring Social Media Addiction

From Fusion Academy

HOUSTON – Are you using technology, or is technology using you? On Saturday, Feb. 16 from 10 a.m. – noon and 2 p.m. – 4 p.m., Fusion Academy Sugar Land and Fusion Academy Houston Galleria will host the first screening of “Like” in the state of Texas, an IndieFlix original documentary exploring the impact of social media on our lives.

Local experts will be on-site at the screening, which will take place at The Health Museum in Houston, for an informative Q&A session about the impact of technology on development.

Appropriate for all ages, “Like” equips viewers with resources to self-regulate social media usage and explores the effects of technology on the brain.

“In my 20 years of educational experience, I have witnessed the evolution of social media’s impact on students and the implications it can have on social and emotional development – especially in teens,” said Dr. Shayne Horan, head of school at Fusion Academy Sugar Land. “While social media platforms create a chance for us to connect with others and learn new things, research shows that face-to-face interaction is still the most meaningful way to create value in our lives and in the classroom.”

The screening will feature four professionals who have extensive expertise in addiction, adolescent psychology, mental health, eating disorders, technology safety protocols and neurodevelopment. Speakers will include:

• Crystal Collier, Ph.D., LPC-S, Murphy-Petersen Behavioral Health Fellow at Hope and Healing Center & Institute
• Rob Swatzyna, Ph.D, L.C.S.W., psychotherapist at the Tarnow Center for Self-Managemen
• Allison Marek, LCSW, CDWF, licensed clinical social worker specializing in the treatment of eating disorders and trauma
• Sydney Zulker with Crime Stoppers, focused on monitoring and studying technology applications and social media to notify parents of safety concerns

“Given the power of social media and the frequency at which it is being used by teens invokes questions and fear that create a lot of uncertainty for parents and families,” said Elizabeth Beguerie, head of school at Fusion Academy Houston Galleria. “Our duty as educators is to create a healthy environment conducive to student learning, and to positive student experiences that combat the issues that affect students outside of the classroom.”

‘Like’ is a production of IndieFlix, which is now one of the largest global screening services for films focusing on social impact. Registration is required and there is a fee of $5 to attend. To register, click here.

Fusion Academy is an accredited private school serving students in grades 6-12, offering one-to-one learning (a learning model offering one teacher per student). There are more than 50 Fusion Academy campuses across the U.S., with seven campuses throughout Texas.

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