On Monday, March 2, The Webb School welcomed bestselling author, podcaster, and storyteller Carlos Whittaker to its 150-acre campus as part of the Spring 2026 Follin Speaker Series. Whittaker’s timely message, which centers on what he coins “The lost art of being human,” invited students, families, and community members to reconsider their relationship with screens. Sharing his own personal, spiritual, and physical journey with those in attendance, he encouraged all to rediscover the value of presence and true connection.

Whittaker, author of the USA Today bestselling book Reconnected: How 7 Screen-Free Weeks with Monks and Amish Farmers Helped Me Recover the Lost Art of Being Human, reflected on a nearly two-month experiment living without screens. Drawing from his time in a monastery and on an Amish farm, he spoke candidly about his perspective on the neurological, social, and spiritual impact of stepping away, if even momentarily, from technological devices. 

"Our souls and our psyche were not created with the capacity to consume the amount of content we [do],” Whittaker told students, faculty, and the greater community in his keynote address.

This timely and important message kicked off a week-long “Screen Vacation Week” at The Webb School, an initiative aimed at encouraging families to reduce screen time. Together, Whittaker and The Webb School are promoting not a complete disconnect from screens, but rather a reimagined and balanced approach to living. Throughout the week, screen-free alternative activities are being provided campus-wide, and include casual recreational sports, craft stations, and games between classes. 

“You don’t have to move to a monastery or an Amish farm and not look at your screen for two months. I did that for you. But, there are so many great lost art forms that I challenge all of you to learn to sit with,” said Whittaker of "Screen Vacation Week." "Start asking yourself, ‘What are things we used to do before phones that I can start doing now?'” 

He continued, “As you are…more ‘screen-light’ this week, I want you to think, ‘How can I be purposeful with my screen?’”

During his visit to Webb, Whittaker also tuned in to an AP Psychology class, participating in a discussion on screen use and cognitive development. After reading several research studies on the impact of screen exposure on the toddler brain, the students and their special guest engaged in constructive dialogue. One boarding student, Senior Robert Lai of China, reflected on the practical challenges of limited screen use, referencing a study on the cognitive effects of screen exposure among young children. “We should make sure screen time is a really short part of the day. I feel like it’s hard to completely shut out screen time because it’s everywhere.”

Whittaker added, it’s not just “the amount of time that you’re spending,” but also, “what does that look like? It’s more about the consumption—the amount of content we are consuming—so at least I found that out with me,” said Whittaker, whose memory increased drastically, from recalling 17 to 42 numbers and letters, before and after his own screen-free experiment concluded.

By combining an inspirational keynote speech with an interactive class discussion, Whittaker’s visit fostered meaningful discussions at Webb, and we are grateful for the time he spent cultivating thoughtful, research-informed practices around technology use.