FEATURE ARTICLES
SAFE SOCIAL MEDIA USE: SPEAKER BEN TRACY SHARES INSIGHTS On November 10, motivational speaker Ben Tracy visited R-MA to offer insights about a topic central to the lives of nearly every young person today: social media. Speaking first with Middle School students, then the Upper School, and later parents (both virtually and in person), he re-lived “the worst day of [his] life so far.” In 2017, on his first day on the job as an aid to then-Governor of Illinois Bruce Rauner, he was fired when staff came upon offensive social media posts he had created during high school and college. While the posts were from several years prior, they were not sentiments that the Governor’s administration could be associated with. The story was picked up and circulated in national media, even landing his face on the cover of the Chicago Sun Times. Recognizing the magnitude of his actions, he has since dedicated himself to educating other young people to be deliberate and discerning in what they post. His platform, Safe Social Network, provides resources for kids and parents to more smartly and safely use social media in their lives. 10
The Sabre Magazine
Winter-Spring 2022
