Cell phone detox at Eagle River

Cody Hutchison, a Grade 9 student at Eagle River Secondary, has challenged other students in his school to take part in a two week detox – from their cell phone!

To take part in the challenge students agreed to have their cell phones placed in the school office during the day from Feb. 1 – 11. The phones must remain there, turned off, throughout the day. The students go to the office and collect their phones when they are ready to go home. The same rules apply if a student is sick or missed a day of school, they couldn’t use their phones during school hours. Part of the detox challenge also asked the students to watch the documentary The Social Dilemma, as well as have conversations around mental health and alternative ways to connect with others.

Cody is hoping the challenge will help people realize that cutting back on cell phone use is helpful for their social life and for making connections.

The challenge was planned when Cody started thinking that he was too attached to his phone, and noticed that fellow students were often more focused on their phones than talking to others and doing activities. He also noticed that it was often hard to talk to others because they had ear buds in, or were focused on something on their screen. He talked about it to Principal Mark Marino and they considered ways to help students reconnect with each other. Earlier in the school year Marino had run a one day challenge with the grade 9s to give up their cell phone for the day. He said what he noticed at lunch was that kids without the phones were actually interacting in the common area and using the air hockey and foosball tables, rather than sitting focused on their phones.

So Cody applied for, and received, a Youth Action Grant of $500 from the McCreary Centre Society to encourage ERS students to take part in the two week cell phone detox.

To promote the event he visited classrooms over two days encouraging all kids to sign up. This challenge was open to students at all grade levels. Successful participants will be treated to an amazing meal at the end of the two weeks and the grant money is being used for prizes at each grade level.