MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. — A new Minnesota state law requires school districts or charter schools to adopt a policy on the use of cellphones in school by March of next year. But one nonprofit has gotten a jump start, working with students to help them find a balance between devices in and out of school.
A group of students at Two Rivers High School in Mendota Heights meets two or three times a month. They laugh and talk freely, and there isn't a single smartphone in sight. That's the point.
They're part of a digital wellbeing club. "[Phones are] a really great piece of communication," said junior Olivia Kanavati. "At the same time, it's draining hours and it's wasting away time that I could be spending with family, or on school or with friends.
" "I would look at my screen time and I would just realize, like, what am I doing with my life?" said senior Willa Vogen. The club partners with LiveMore ScreenLess, a nonprofit started by Katherine Myers, a former teacher of 25 years. "Our mission is to continue to bring digital wellbeing forward, and then our vision is young people thriving in a digital age," said Myers, LiveMore ScreenLess' executive director and co-founder.
For more than five years, LiveMore ScreenLess has collaborated with community stakeholders to support young people. At Two Rivers, students host "log-off lunches" where devices go unused. They've also held talks with younger students at West St.
Paul's Heritage Middle School about creating a tech-life balance. At.