The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness

by Jonathan Haidt

January 22, 2026 @ 1:00 – 2:00 PM Mountain Time

H&V Facilitators:  Sara Kennedy (H&V HQ) and Hanna Swearinger (IL H&V)

In The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt (pronounced "height") lays out the facts about the epidemic of teen mental illness that hit many countries at the same time. He then investigates the nature of childhood, including why children need play and independent exploration to mature into competent, thriving adults. Haidt shows how the “play-based childhood” began to decline in the 1980s, and how it was finally wiped out by the arrival of the “phone-based childhood” in the early 2010s. He presents more than a dozen mechanisms by which this “great rewiring of childhood” has interfered with children’s social and neurological development, covering everything from sleep deprivation to attention fragmentation, addiction, loneliness, social contagion, social comparison, and perfectionism. He explains why social media damages girls more than boys and why boys have been withdrawing from the real world into the virtual world, with disastrous consequences for themselves, their families, and their societies.

Most important, Haidt issues a clear call to action. He diagnoses the “collective action problems” that trap us and then proposes four simple rules that might set us free. He describes steps that parents, teachers, schools, tech companies, and governments can take to end the epidemic of mental illness and restore a more humane childhood.

Moments of Truth: Robert R. Davila, the Story of a Deaf Leader

by Oscar P. Cohen, Joseph E. Fischgrund, Harry G. Lang

March 26, 2026 @ 1:00 – 2:00 PM Mountain Time

H&V Facilitators: Laura Gramer (WA H&V)

Withstanding childhood poverty in a migrant farming family and an illness in 1943 at age 11 that left him profoundly deaf, Robert R. Davila persevered to become one of the first deaf people in history to earn a doctorate. He did so at a time when interpreting in higher education had not yet become a professional support service. Davila worked unfailingly to achieve positions of stature as vice president of Gallaudet University, the president of three major deaf education organizations, and the seeming culmination of his career as the highest appointed deaf official ever in the U.S. government at the Department of Education. Yet, after this government service, he returned to his field to achieve another series of firsts. He served as Headmaster of the New York School for the Deaf at White Plains for three years, and as the first deaf chief executive officer of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology for seven years. Then, in 2006, Bob Davila was invited to assume the presidency of Gallaudet University in a time of crisis. Moments of Truth summarizes a series of defining experiences that enabled Davila to rise to the pinnacle of his profession as an educator. This book is not merely a roadmap on how he achieved such honors―it is an inspiring tale of self-discovery and resilience appealing to all who face overwhelming odds, especially deaf children who are sure to be encouraged by his pioneering legacy.

Leadership 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know

By John C. Maxwell

July 16, 2026 @ 1:00 – 2:00 PM Mountain Time

H&V Facilitator:  Melinda Ray (TX H&V)

No matter who you are, you can lead—and lead well.  John C. Maxwell, the consummate leader, offers a succinct and inspiring framework for enhancing the leadership abilities you already possess. Maxwell will teach you how to:

• Follow your vision and bring others with you
• Produce a lasting legacy
• Grow the loyalty of your followers
• Make continual investments in the quality of your leadership
• Increase your ability to influence others
• Determine your leadership "lid"
• Empower others through mentoring
• Create a foundation of trust
• Use self-discipline to improve your character—and your results

One of the keys to successful leadership is applying the concepts that have made other leaders strong. Here's your opportunity to do just that.

Deaf Tips: Twelve lessons from the Deaf world to improve your communication in your personal, social, and professional life

by Dr. Bruno Paul Kahne

November 12, 2026 @ 1:00 – 2:00 PM Mountain Time

H&V Facilitators:  Laura Gramer (WA H&V)

Deaf people are often seen as deficient because they can’t hear and frequently can’t talk. But Deaf communication is often faster and more precise than Hearing communication. In this book Deaf people look at the way Hearing people desperately try to connect with one another and share with the reader all the tips and tricks they use to communicate more effectively. As the world moves away from discrimination and narrow-mindedness, it is time to recognize the real experts in communication, and to learn from them.