Engage In Real Life
LaunchNW, Spokane Public Schools (SPS), and contributing partners launched in fall of 2024 Engage In Real Life (EngageIRL), a city-wide initiative aimed at providing more opportunities for students and families to get involved in a community club, sport or activity.
The community’s ability to engage in after-school, real life activities is a high priority. Out-of-school programs promote safety, well-being, health, academic achievement, and most importantly, get students off devices and into real life activities.
Our Why
Cell phone use by adolescents is widely known to contribute to mental health issues, and they are a disruption to the learning environment. In June of 2024, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called for warning labels on social media. He also published an advisory on social media and youth mental health. The research is very clear on the effects social media and smartphones have on students:
The Benefits of Cell Phone-Free Schools
Several SPS middle schools went cell phone-free during the 2023-24 school year and saw immediate improvements in overall school culture. Students talked to each other more outside of the classroom, and there were fewer disruptions in the classroom. Schools also took strides to provide students alternative activities to phones during non-classroom time before and after school and during lunch.
Resources
Want to learn more? Check out these links:
Screenagers
This award-winning film series explores the struggles caused by social media, smartphones, video games and more.
Let Grow
This initiative posits that giving kids independence helps them grow into capable and happy adults.
LEARN MORE
Watch Superintendent Adam Swinyard talks cell phones on NewsNation:
"We’ve never faced an adversary like technology in getting the attention of kids, and so we need exciting alternatives to say, ‘instead of spending five, six, seven hours on your phone, how about maybe one or two hours?' Let’s teach families about the supervisory tools, let’s have common sense boundaries inside of our classrooms, and then let’s provide as many activities and athletics outside of the school day so that every kid, every day is doing something in real life, off their screen, out of their home, with each other. Research is clear – that’s what’s best for kids.”