San Joaquin County Office of Education
A high-impact keynote and interactive workshops that helped students understand how social media and online behavior affect their future, mental health, and career pathways.
San Joaquin County Office of Education
Student Online Safety and Career Readiness Keynotes and Workshops
Program Objective
Equip high school students with the knowledge and mindset to navigate social media, online safety, and digital identity in ways that support their future careers, mental health, and long-term success.
Organization Details
Organization: San Joaquin County Office of Education
Engagement Type: Student keynote presentations and interactive workshops
Audience: High school students
Formats: Keynote speeches and breakout sessions
Engagement Overview
Fareedah Shaheed partnered with the San Joaquin County Office of Education across two separate engagements focused on helping students understand how online behavior, social media, and digital identity impact their future opportunities.
The first engagement was a keynote presentation at the SJOCE Career Quest, where students explored career pathways, professional development, and workforce readiness. Fareedah’s keynote focused on how social media presence, online risks, and digital decision-making can directly affect employment opportunities and career trajectories.
Due to the strong response and student engagement, Fareedah was invited back for a second engagement at the Peer to Peer Summit, where she delivered a keynote and multiple breakout sessions focused on online safety, autonomy, and mental health.
Engagement 1: Career Quest Keynote
Date: March 27, 2025
Audience Size: Approximately 250–300 high school students
Focus Areas:
How social media activity can impact future job opportunities
Understanding online risks students may face as they enter the workforce
Awareness of LinkedIn fraud, employee poaching, and digital impersonation
Balancing the value of the internet for career exploration with online safety
Helping students think critically about their digital footprint
The keynote was designed to meet students where they are, using real-world examples and culturally relevant insights to help them understand the long-term implications of their online behavior.
Engagement 2: Peer to Peer Summit
Date: September 9, 2025
Keynote Title:Why Staying Safe Online Is the Ultimate Cheat Code
Breakout Session Title: Don’t Get Played: Protect Yourself Online
Session Description: Students were guided through how to take control of their online experiences, build a personal safety plan aligned with their goals, and develop confidence navigating the internet on their own terms.
This engagement combined large-group inspiration with smaller, interactive sessions that allowed students to ask questions, reflect, and apply what they learned.
Audience Engagement and Impact
Students were highly engaged across both events
Participants asked thoughtful, relevant questions about social media, careers, and online safety
Students reported feeling seen, heard, and better informed
The content resonated strongly with teen culture and real student experiences
Institutional Feedback
“Fareedah made a huge impact on our students as the keynote at our Annual Career Quest. High School students walked away understanding the impact of social media on their future career pathways. She is relevant to the culture of teens and clearly answered their questions by giving them useful information. One of the greatest assets in having Fareedah speak to our students is her credibility with young people. She has lived experiences that they can relate to which helped them feel like they were heard and valued. We look forward to having Fareedah come back to speak at our high school Peer to Peer Summit which will be highly effective in helping students understand how mental health and social media are connected.”
Nora H.
Director II, Comprehensive Health
San Joaquin County Office of Education
Student Feedback Highlights
“I liked how relatable the speaker was. It’s not everyday you meet someone around our ages who knows what we like and what’s trending. Usually, speakers all follow the same format but she caught our attention with a great hook.”
“I liked how she spoke to the room and was open about her past made me feel comfortable”
“She was very interactive with the audience and even had small conversation with some students”
“I liked how I was able to relate to it with games”
“My favorite thing about the keynote was how relatable and interesting the topics were and made us feel seen and not embarrassed.”
“I learned a lot about how to use social media in a positive way.”
“The experiences she used I was able to relate to a lot is speakers use examples but don’t relate to the audience. So during her talk it made it feel like she was my age”
Student feedback collected from SJOCE events. Quotes shown verbatim.
