A Growing Up Well Community Event Mattering in a High-Pressure World: Helping Teens Thrive Beyond Achievement Culture
with Stephanie Malia Krauss
For Parents and Teens | Offered in Concord and West Acton
Concord | Wednesday, September 30, 2026 | 6:00–7:30 pm
Concord-Carlisle High School
Acton | Thursday, October 1, 2026 | 7:00–8:30 pm
Gallery at Villageworks
In many high-performing communities, young people absorb a powerful—and often unintentional—message: that their worth is tied to grades, accolades, and productivity. The result is rising rates of anxiety, burnout, and disconnection, even among kids who are doing everything “right.”
This event introduces the concept of mattering—the idea that young people thrive when they feel seen, valued, and connected, not just evaluated.
Speaker Stephanie Malia Krauss is an educator and author of How We Thrive: Caring for Kids and Ourselves in a Changing World and Whole Child, Whole Life. Drawing on research and real-world experience, she offers parents, educators, and teens practical ways to push back against achievement culture and create conditions where young people—and the adults who support them—can truly flourish.
Save the Date: Community Panel Discussion: From Pressure to Purpose
Thursday, November 5th, 2026 | 6:00–7:30 pm
Ready to keep exploring what it means to help teens thrive among the pressures of academics, athletics, and social media? A panel of experts in education, child development, and mental health — along with teens sharing hard-won lessons of their own — will pick up where the first event left off, with practical, grounded ideas for parents and teens. Location and registration details coming soon.
