I would like to address a problem that takes a toll on our future community: Phone use in high school classrooms are overly tolerated. As a high school student myself, I have seen this situation from a head-on perspective. Evidently, students lack focus and engagement when using their phones during school. Not only does this put risk on the student’s academic success, but it strips other students of cooperation and knowledgeable input from their peers.

As of the 2018/2019 school year, White River High School has implemented a new phone policy, limiting tolerance to phone usage during school hours. During homeroom period, students and teachers were shown videos about the dangers of too much phone use and how it affects our brain development and focus. Even though many students have started out the year with disagreements, I have seen my peers much less tempted to use their phones during class. All in all, not only does the physical act of enforcement help students stay off their phones, but through videos and overall awareness, students have been inspired to lay off of such technology for their own good.

As a proud White River Hornet, I already notice little to no phone usage during class helps students like myself stay more engaged in schoolwork. As a plea for a better, well-educated tomorrow, other people and schools in our community should encourage such changes to happen everywhere.

As a simple solution, students, parents and teachers should take charge by not only enforcing such rules, but by spreading the idea of creating a more focused academic future.

Victoria Goodrich

Bonney Lake