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2026-2027 Speaker Series
SSALA offers our Member schools a range of annual speaker events to address critical questions and promote conversations about the issues we confront today and what we will engage with tomorrow.
September 22, 2026 at 7:00PM:
Dr. David Yeager, The Science of Motivating Young People
Virtual + Recorded
Imagine a world in which Gen Xers, millennials, and boomers interact with young people in ways that leave them feeling inspired, enthusiastic, and ready to contribute. That world may be closer than you think. Using cutting edge research, best-selling author and psychologist David Yeager explains how to stop fearing young people’s brains and hormones and how to start harnessing them.
Neuroscientists have discovered that around age ten, puberty spurs the brain to crave socially rewarding experiences, such as pride, admiration, and respect, and to become highly averse to social pain, such as humiliation or shame. As a result, young people are subtly reading between the lines of everything we say, trying to interpret the hidden implications of our words to find out if we are disrespecting or honoring them. Surprisingly, this sensitivity to status and respect continues into the mid-twenties. David’s research helps adults develop an ear for ways to respect young people and avoid frustrating patterns of miscommunication and conflict.
David Yeager, PhD, is a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and the cofounder of the Texas Behavioral Science and Policy Institute. He is best known for his research conducted with Carol Dweck, Angela Duckworth, and Greg Walton on short but powerful interventions that influence adolescent behaviors such as motivation, engagement, healthy eating, bullying, stress, mental health, and more. Prior to his career as a scientist, he was a middle school teacher and a basketball coach. He earned his PhD and MA at Stanford University and his BA and MEd at the University of Notre Dame.
Member School registrants can submit their questions ahead of time. See your SSALA Representative for details.
Email for information to join our community: schoolspeakerallianceofla@gmail.com
“When parents, teachers, students, and others view one another as partners in education, a caring community forms around students and begins its work.”
- Joyce Epstein, Ph.D
School, Family and Community Partnerships