Communicating with Gen Z: What I've Learned from Speaking to Over 100,000 Students

One of the questions I get asked most by principals, teachers, and parents is some version of the same thing:

"How do we connect with kids today?"

It's a fair question.

Students are growing up in a completely different world than the one most adults grew up in. They have access to unlimited information, constant notifications, social media, artificial intelligence, and more forms of communication than any generation before them. Yet despite being more connected digitally, many students are struggling with communication face-to-face.

As someone who spends most of my year speaking in schools and working directly with students, I've noticed something interesting. The issue isn't that students don't want connection. In fact, I would argue they want it more than ever. The challenge is that many students have never been taught how to build it. As I said in my TEDx speech, some kids struggle with communication. "They can text but can't talk. They can comment but can't connect." It's up to us to show them how to use their voice!

Think about it. Years ago, if you wanted to talk to a friend, you picked up the phone, knocked on their door, or met up in person. Today, students can go an entire day communicating through screens without ever having a real conversation. That's not a criticism. It's simply the reality they've grown up in.

The result is a generation that often feels pressure to be connected all the time but doesn't always feel confident connecting in person.

I see it during assemblies all the time.

I'll ask students to turn to someone they don't know and introduce themselves. Immediately, you can feel the discomfort in the room. Not because they're bad kids. Not because they don't care. Because many of them simply haven't had enough opportunities to practice those skills.

What's interesting is that once they get started, the energy completely changes.

Within minutes, students are laughing, sharing stories, finding common interests, and realizing that connection isn't as difficult as they thought it was. The problem isn't their willingness. It's sometimes it's their confidence.

That's why I believe one of the greatest opportunities schools have today is helping students develop communication skills alongside academic skills.

Communication impacts everything.

It impacts leadership.

It impacts friendships.

It impacts confidence.

It impacts future careers.

It impacts mental health.

The students who know how to communicate effectively often become the students who know how to advocate for themselves, build relationships, and create opportunities.

For educators, I don't think the answer is trying to become more like students. In fact, students can usually tell when adults are trying too hard to be relatable.

The answer is being genuinely interested in them.

Students respond to authenticity.

They want adults who listen, ask questions, remember details, and create environments where they feel seen and valued.

Some of the most impactful educators I've met aren't necessarily the loudest or most charismatic people in the building. They're the people who consistently make students feel important.

A student's day can change because a teacher remembered their name, yes I know it seems so small.

A principal asked about their game.

A counselor followed up on a conversation from the week before.

Those moments may seem small to us, but they aren't small to students.

As technology continues to evolve, I believe communication will become one of the most valuable skills a young person can possess. Artificial intelligence can provide answers. It can generate content. It can automate tasks. But it cannot replace genuine human connection.

That's why schools that intentionally create opportunities for students to communicate, collaborate, and build relationships aren't just improving school culture. They're preparing students for life.

The future will belong to people who know how to connect with others.

And the good news is that communication is a skill.

Which means it can be taught, practiced, and developed.

Just like anything else.

At Vitt Factor, we help schools strengthen student communication, leadership, confidence, and school culture through interactive assemblies and workshops that students actually relate to. If you're looking for a speaker who connects with today's generation while delivering practical life skills, let's start a conversation.

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