'How to Guide Your Child Through a Media Mad World' SNHMA Hosts Free Parent-Ed Workshop in Londonderry May 30th

LONDONDERRY, NH, May 17, 2012 (Press-News.org) Southern New Hampshire Montessori Academy, an independent pre-K to 6th Grade Montessori school, will be hosting "How to Guide Your Child Through a Media Mad World", a free workshop targeted at parents and educators on Wednesday May 30th from 7 to 8:30 pm. The workshop will address the influence of media on children's health and behaviors and will be led by Rona Zlokower, Executive Director of Media Power Youth, a NH nonprofit organization that empowers youth to lead healthy safe lives through smart use of media.

"Kids today have access to the most powerful technology we've ever known and their technological abilities can quickly surpass their maturity and judgment, "If we as parents can manage media in our family lives, it will make parenting easier, our children healthier and more likely to succeed socially and academically," says Rona Zlokower.

Zlokower will offer information and tips on raising media-smart children and lead parents in discussion of how we can create healthy media environments at home, in schools and in our communities.

"You will get ideas on how to make children smart about media and more capable of making healthy, safe choices; you'll find out how much is too much and what to do to make screen time fun, healthy and safe at every age; you will get ideas of what can be done in the home, schools and communities to create healthy media environments, to ultimately make parenting easier, and children stronger, safer and healthier," Rona Zlokower explains.

"We are delighted to be able to offer this free workshop to our families and local community, said Debra Hogan, Founder of SNHMA. Research clearly demonstrates that children are more likely to succeed in school and make healthy decisions when they are empowered to use media smartly. As a fast growing school whose mission is to educate the 'whole child', we are keen play an active and helpful role in our community by offering support and guidance about important educational issues, such as the influence of media on children's health and behaviors."

The workshop, which is sponsored by SNHMA, is free to attend and open to the general public. Registration is required as places are limited. To register, please phone (603) 818-8613 or via email director@snhma.org. The event will take place on Wednesday May 30th from 7:00 to 8:30 pm at Southern NH Montessori Academy, 1E Commons Drive #28, Londonderry, NH 03053. Please visit http://www.snhma.org/page/contact for directions.

About the presenter:
Rona Zlokower, MCM, has participated in and led public/private partnerships in the healthcare, corporate and nonprofit sectors for over 35 years. In 2000, Rona created MediaSmart with Selma Deitch, MD, founder of Child Health Services, Manchester, to address the increasing influence of media on children's health and behaviors. In 2007, under Rona's leadership, the program became Media Power Youth, a New Hampshire nonprofit that guides parents and professionals to empower youth to succeed in school and make healthy choices through smart use of media.

About SNHMA
Southern New Hampshire Montessori Academy offers an academically focused education to children through an integrated curriculum. Concentration is given to educating the "whole child" (all facets of the child's being, including: intellectual, physical, emotional, social and creative aspects) with a strong emphasis of hands-on and experiential learning where children develop their passion in technology, science, visual and performing arts, foreign language and physical education. Complementing a strong academic core, the school offers an enrichment program that includes elementary Latin, creative arts (visual and performing), daily physical education, technology and Spanish. For further information, please visit: http://www.snhma.org/
About Media Power Youth
Media Power Youth empowers youth to lead healthy, safe lives through smart use of media. Based in Manchester, NH, Media Power Youth is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) working locally and throughout the Northeast in collaboration with health and prevention programs, school districts, communities, research institutions, businesses and foundations to provide a continuum of evidence based, health-focused media literacy education for youth, parents, and professionals. For further information, please visit http://www.mediapoweryouth.org.