Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist Matt Richtel will explain why your teenager's behavior may be neurologically normal during a free virtual presentation for Glenbard District 87's GPS Parent Series on Wednesday, Sept. 9.

Richtel, author of "How We Grow Up: Understanding Adolescence," will present "Understanding Adolescence: A Complex Journey of Growth and Transformation" at noon and 7 p.m. via Zoom. No registration is required.

The talk draws on neurobiological research into the maturing adolescent brain, including why teens are biologically wired to prioritize peer connections over parents and why earlier-onset puberty can create what the GPS event page describes as "a perfect storm of neurological overload." Richtel will also share a "Love, Lead, and Let Go" blueprint for parents trying to separate their own identity from their teen's successes or failures, and explain physical coping mechanisms families can use.

"It's not every day that we have a Pulitzer Prize-winning author taking a look at adolescence!" Gilda Ross, Glenbard District 87's student and community projects coordinator, told The Lombardian. Ross, who has organized GPS programming for more than 30 years, said the presentation addresses a youth mental health crisis amplified by digital culture, where teens face constant connectivity, isolation and risk-taking while their brains are still developing.

Richtel won the Pulitzer in 2010 for his reporting on distracted driving and later spent nearly two years on a nine-part New York Times series examining the post-pandemic adolescent health crisis, which he called the "Inner Pandemic." That reporting informed his latest book, according to an interview published in July 2025.

The GPS Parent Series, now in its 31st year, offers more than 50 free programs annually in four languages through virtual, hybrid and in-person formats. The District 87 Board of Education approved a new special services contract for Ross at its May 11 meeting with a 3.2% increase for the 2026-27 school year.

Continuing education credits are available for the Sept. 9 sessions. Zoom links are posted at GPSParentSeries.org. To join a reminder list or submit questions in advance, contact Ross at [email protected] or 630-942-7668.