Brooklyn Raney is the author of One Trusted Adult: How to Build Strong Connections & Healthy Boundaries with Young People. After working in schools for more than a decade, she founded One Trusted Adult, a company through which she has spent the past five years working with youth-serving professionals, parents, and guardians to develop strategies for strengthening relationships in homes, schools, and communities so they can best support the positive development of youth.

She is a research-practitioner who holds a BA from Colgate University, an MA in Educational Theater from NYU, and an MS in Education from the University of Pennsylvania, where she is currently a doctoral candidate. Brooklyn’s research explores the intersection of student perception, teacher sustainability, and parent expectation as it relates to an ethic of care in schools.

Brooklyn spends most of her time working with youth-serving organizations around the world to develop adults’ capacity and commitment for showing up in the best possible way for youth, while helping youth see the trusted adults around them as the greatest available resource for supporting their wellness and success. An experienced educator, school administrator, and facilitator, she has designed effective professional development courses, advisory programming, and student leadership trainings that are boosting school connectedness and improving educational culture and climate in communities across the globe.

Though often immersed in writing and research projects, Brooklyn will never miss a week of Girls Leadership Camp, an adventure with her mentee from the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, or a FaceTime with her nieces and nephews. She believes every adult must see themselves as an advocate of youth needs, a promoter of youth potential, and a defender of youth dreams if we are to prevent our biggest fears and promote our greatest hopes for youth today.

Brooklyn lives in Moultonborough, New Hampshire, with her husband, son, and two adventurous goldendoodles named Tuukka and Larry Bird.

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Articles Library

The Limitations and Opportunities of Digital Check-Ins for Student Well-Being
Digital check-ins for student well-being offer convenience but have limitations, including data overload, misinterpretation of mood snapshots, and detachment from genuine human care. Effective alternatives include school pulse checks and fostering trusted relationships to ensure meaningful, actionable student support.
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Does your boundary training address every level necessary to protect youth and you?
Educators need better boundary conversations that focus on legal, professional, emotional, and social boundaries. Shifting from fear-based restraint to trust-based professionalism is crucial for fostering safe, supportive relationships with students.
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5 Ways School Leaders Can Make Connections Count
Building trusted and boundaried relationships with students is essential for their well-being and academic success. However, literature lacks detailed guidelines. Here's how school leaders can foster such relationships: prioritize professional development, communicate care expectations, invest in advisory programs, train student leaders, and assess connections regularly.
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Supporting Young People with FRIENDS
Discover the truth of supporting young people through friendship challenges and social turbulence! In this article, Brooklyn Raney, founder of One Trusted Adult, shares expert tips on navigating changing friendships. Don't miss out on this must-read article filled with strategies for building strong connections, healthy boundaries and judgment-free zones.
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