Let's Raise Media-Savvy Kids!: Lessons To Help Teens Stand For Christ In Today's Culture

Today's teens are immersed in media that constantly shapes their beliefs, values, and identity. Sue Summers-respected media expert, engaging presenter, educator, and author of five books-offers a timely and powerful response. In her dynamic curriculum, Let's Raise Media-Savvy Kids!, she equips youth pastors, Christian school teachers, Sunday School leaders, and homeschool parents to intentionally inspire middle- and high-school students to become thoughtful, discerning, and faith-filled critical thinkers.

This curriculum features 25 interactive, scripture-based lessons designed as a clear, step-by-step guide to help teens:

• • Discern truth in a culture of misinformation
  • Analyze media content instead of passively absorbing it
  • Apply God's Word to everyday decisions and influences
  • Engage thoughtfully in conversations about trends, viral posts, and popular beliefs
  • Navigate conflicting values found in traditional and social media without compromising their faith

Let's intentionally equip our teens with the knowledge and skills they need to become confident ambassadors for Christ-young people who understand the culture, think independently, make wise decisions, and honor God throughout their lives.

Sample lesson topics include:

• • Ads: They're Ubiquitous!
  • Heroes vs. Celebrities
  • How Do the Media Affect Us?
  • Desensitized to Violence?
  • Special Effects vs. Miracles
  • And many other timely, relevant issues teens face every day

Each lesson includes two engaging, discussion-based activities and can be easily adapted for youth group meetings, retreats, Christian school classrooms, or homeschool settings. Meaningful discussion and personal reflection are at the heart of the curriculum, guiding students to examine how culture influences them-and how God's Word, "the Grid of Truth," speaks directly into their lives.

To further support leaders and parents, a companion video course is also available. This training prepares educators and ministry leaders for the journey ahead, clearly explaining why this curriculum is essential as students interact daily with powerful cultural messages.

Media is already teaching our teens. Let's Raise Media-Savvy Kids! empowers you to lead the conversation-grounding students in truth, strengthening their faith, and preparing them to live boldly for Christ.

Sue Summers is a media-savvy author, speaker, and teacher based in Littleton, Colorado. She has dedicated 30 years to researching and creating effective ways to teach critical thinking skills about media to children and adults. In Let's Raise Media-Savvy Kids!, she helps youth leaders and parents teach these skills from a Biblical worldview, emphasizing the importance of discernment for teens in today's culture. Sue has been a library media specialist in Jefferson County, Colorado, for over 20 years. She was selected as the winner of Cable in the Classroom's "Leaders in Learning" Media Literacy award, was a member of Turner Learning's National Faculty, and served as a board member for the media literacy advocacy organization, PRIIME TIIME Today. She has taught master's level courses at Colorado Christian University and developed and taught two graduate courses on media training. The author of four books on raising media-savvy kids, Sue has also co-authored a timely devotional book for women. Sue was married to her late husband, Dr. Bob, for 27 years. Her daughter and son are each married and live in the Denver area, along with Sue's four grandchildren, ages 24, 22, 20, and 19.