As technology has advanced and social media has become more popular, students and teachers have noticed decreased motivation in students to participate in school. One of the biggest issues in schools today is the use of cell phones during school hours. Similarly, social media and cell phone use at home have also caused an impact on students’ motivation to complete homework or study. At EHPS, the faculty has been implementing stricter guidelines to prevent unauthorized cell phone use and minimize distractions. However, students have continued to find that their motivation has decreased at home and school. 

In a study by Fabio Duarte in 2023, the average screen time of teens was around 7 hours and 22 minutes. Compared to 2015 data, phone usage by teens ages 13-18 increased by 29.75%. At EHHS, the average was similar, ranging from 3 to 11 hours per day spent on their phones. However, multiple students reported that their screen time is not only made up of their hours on social media, but also with apps to help with school. 

Social media is a distracting and addicting form of media easily accessible through smartphones. It can not only affect your brain but can also affect your physical body. A phenomenon known as “tech neck” can come from the constant 45-degree angle that you keep your head and neck in to look down at a phone is one example of the physical effect it could have on the body. Similarly, the constant notifications from apps and social media can be a huge distraction in class, especially if your phone is on you. Mr. Mark Tolla, a psychology teacher at EHHS, notes that constant notifications can interfere heavily with selective attention. The National Library of Medicine defines selective attention as “the ability to enhance relevant signals and manage distraction.” The constant buzzing can take your focus away from learning, and onto wondering who or what sent the notification. 

The EHHS phone policy of putting phones in holders was created to minimize classroom distractions with cell phones. Principal Mr. Vincent DeNuzzo noted that as technology has advanced over the years, from flip phones to smartphones, he has observed a trend of more distractions in the classroom, leading to lower motivation. Put in place around 2 years ago, the hope behind the cell phone policy was to reduce these distractions and help students increase their focus and engagement in classes. The first quarter after it was put in place saw the fewest failures in years, and teachers reported that students were more engaged and less distracted. Mr. Tolla stated that he believes the phone policy at EHHS is not perfect, and has ways to improve. For example, phone pockets can be an effective way to minimize phone use during class; however, he believes the current policies have inconsistent enforcement in terms of phone usage. In the beginning, teachers and faculty are strict. As time passes, fewer students follow the guidelines, leaving only a few phones in the holders. Mr. Tolla feels that a procedure with clear enforcement, such as the Yonder pouches, can create a more effective approach to limiting distractions in the classroom. 

After speaking with some students across the grade levels, many feel they have not been educated enough on the effects of social media on motivation, the dangers it has on the human mind and body, or even how social media and technology can be used for good. For example, Senior Kimberly Carrera noticed that the only real information she can remember ever being told from the school was about “digital detoxing,” and how the school mainly focuses on trying to abolish the use of social media entirely. Similarly, Junior Jaidyn Torres feels that the talk about social media is only a once-in-a-while talk during FLEX. They only focus on cyberbullying and internet safety. However, they rarely discuss the genuine effects it could have on the mind and body. Students also feel that they learn more about the impact of social media FROM social media. One of the biggest agreements among the students who were interviewed was that they all feel the conversation is always about the big negatives of social media, and how it can only be dangerous, however, many students think that it can have a positive effect on students too, especially when used correctly. Sophomore Giovanna Zanette, a sophomore, noted, “I feel as if most times where we are taught about social media, it’s just to say that social media is bad and that you can’t trust everything you see on [it].” She further states, “[That] just isn’t true, it’s one of the best ways to get information and you can learn a lot from other people’s posts on things like TikTok or even Twitter.” Mr. DeNuzzo has noted that he believes this is another area where he believes the school could improve, suggesting that incorporating this education into the school’s culture and curriculum, could be a valuable step. 

Social media is not only a negative thing, as students feel that social media can be used for good in terms of their education. For example, Kimberly Carrera, Giovanna Zanette, Jaidyn Torres, and more all agreed that social media could be used positively to put information out about clubs, articles, events, and more through social media. Similarly, students also reported that social media videos have also been a motivating factor for students to get up and do their work. Senior Mia Abely noted that she feels in a society where social media is so prevalent, just teaching about the negatives of social media is the wrong way to go about educating students. 

Limiting screen time doesn’t mean cutting it away entirely, but rather, it’s about creating healthier habits that create motivators for students. Here are a few ways to combat phone usage: 

• Use apps to limit screen time to begin the habit of only using apps for a certain amount of time
• Set a reward system.
  • Example: Do you work for around 30 minutes, take a 10 minutes phones break, and then work again for 30 more minutes. Continue until all work is completed.
• Turn off push notifications as a way to limit looking at your phone. 
  • The fewer notifications, the less you’re likely to continue picking up your phone again and again. 
• Find hobbies outside of screen time to allow yourself to do more than just scroll.
• Utilize organizational apps and calendars to stay on top of assignments and deadlines.
• Utilize the “Do Not Disturb” feature when doing schoolwork or homework
• Put your phone away at school in the phone pockets
• Put your phone away, or move it to a separate location while doing homework to avoid distractions

Mr. Tolla feels that social media could be a great way to intertwine education with student interest by incorporating social media into lessons. Social media can be used to create collaborative learning experiences for students. By using something familiar to students, teachers could design lessons that use these tools to bring students together with common interests and goals. Mr. DeNuzzo has also begun working with Assistant Principals Mr. Sal Vollero and Mr. Anthony Russell to help figure out new ways to discuss the effects of social media, and how it can affect the mind and body.