Heads Up, Phones Down: A Community of Champions for Healthy Cell Phone Habits

Connection is Courage — and It Starts with Us

Change rarely happens all at once. It builds — through research that sharpens our understanding, schools willing to try something new, parents choosing different rhythms at home, and communities pressing pause together.

Across the country and here at home, momentum is growing around a simple but powerful idea: our kids’ well-being is worth protecting. From new books and national studies to school-based solutions like Yondr pouches, from public awareness campaigns to global movements like the Global Day of Unplugging, people are stepping forward to create healthier norms in a high-tech world.

This month’s Heads Up, Phones Down brings together stories of practical action, cultural shifts, and hopeful progress — reminders that when it comes to strengthening real-world connection, there is a role for all of us.

Helpers Are Rising

Community voices are calling us back to connection

In a recent op-ed, Elizabeth Clark, mental health clinician who works with students and staff in School District 51, quotes Mr. Rogers, whose mother used to tell him: “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” Elizabeth notes that today’s helpers look different, because today’s challenge is quieter, hiding in “the erosion of face-to-face connection” that comes from the addictive nature of technology. Today, Elizabeth suggests, the helpers are the ones going against the grain of society by helping parents understand technology’s risks and working to protect children from online harms. Read the full op-ed here.

Yondr In Action

A simple shift at school is reducing stress and restoring focus

WCCF helped the Delta County School District purchase Yondr pouches to pilot in Delta Middle School. The pouches were implemented in 2025 and have contributed to greater success with the school’s phone policy and student engagement in class.

"The grant for the Yondr pouches has allowed us to take our no phone policy to the next level. For five full years…there was a constant 'cat and mouse' game with students using their phones. Since implementing the use of Yondr pouches we have seen a significant reduction in both staff and student stress around our no phone policy. Simply having the phone in the pouch has allowed students an opportunity to feel free from engaging with their device.” ~ Delta Middle School Staff

Global Day of Unplugging!

One day. Twenty-four hours. Real-world connection.

Global Day of Unplugging hosts a worldwide 24-hour digital pause where people and communities power down devices and power on real-world connection. This year, the 24-hour period will be sundown March 6^th to sundown March 7^th. You can be part of the movement by participating solo, hosting a gathering, or trying one of the Unplugged Ideas to connect with loved ones or fire up your creativity or sense of adventure.

For Parents and Caregivers

A Helper's Handbook

The new book, 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High Tech World, empowers parents to take charge of their kids’ digital well-being and set healthy boundaries for technology. The author, Jean Twenge, gives parents a practical, easy-to-read guide for navigating parenthood in the digital age, drawing from a wealth of research on the topic as well as her own experience as a parent.

My Baby GAINS

Similar to WCCF’s Heads Up Parenting campaign, My Baby GAINS helps by sharing research-backed insights and guidance on early childhood, empowering parents, healthcare providers, and others to limit screen exposure so infants and children can thrive.

News & Research

Researchers Help Emphasize Harms of Smartphones for Kids

American Academy of Pediatrics | December 2025

In a new study, published in December 2025 by the American Academy of Pediatrics, researchers concluded that smartphone ownership among kids under age 12 years was linked to depression, obesity, and insufficient sleep. Further, youth aged 13 who had acquired a smartphone in the past year had greater odds of reporting clinical-level psychopathology and insufficient sleep when compared with peers who did not have a smartphone.

This study joins a growing body of research with a clear message: allowing kids access to smartphones without healthy limits has a direct impact on their well-being.

Change at the National Level: Australia Leads the Way

At the end of 2025, Australia made a bold move: banning social media for youth under age 16. The ban is the first of its kind and is being watched closely by other countries who are enacting or considering similar legislation. As realization of how youth are negatively impacted by social media has swept the globe, governments are engaging in debates over how to protect youth and hold social media companies accountable while also upholding individual freedoms. Australia’s new ban may help to forge a path that others can follow. One month into the ban, teens report on how it is affecting them.

Heads Up Parenting: Now in Garfield County

Our Heads Up Parenting campaign is officially expanding. Thanks to funding from the El Pomar Foundation, we are bringing the focus on mindful parenting and healthy tech habits to Garfield County. Our campaign materials are available in both English and Spanish, ensuring digital wellness is accessible to more families, including I Gain…Without Screens: a practical tip sheet for parents created by the Global Alliance for Inspiring Non-Tech Infant Nurturing and Growth.

For free materials or to schedule a presentation, email Tedi Gillespie or Sarah Fuller.

Technoference!

This humorous Public Service Announcement from the New Jersey Department of Children and Families helps call out “technoference” – the interference of technology use with personal relationships and social interactions. This PSA is also available in Spanish.

About this Initiative

An area of focus for our Community Foundation is the mental health and well-being of young people. Heads Up, Phones Down provides information and resources for our community to foster healthier social media and technology habits that promote more face-to-face interactions and better mental health.

We invite parents, educators and community members to join us in this effort. Learn more about our work here.

The Western Colorado Community Foundation (WCCF) is a force for good—amplifying generosity and sparking lasting change across its seven-county region. Managing more than $200 million in total assets and distributing over $9 million in grants and scholarships in 2025, WCCF builds lasting connections that unite people, partners, expertise, and resources to strengthen western Colorado for generations to come.

Learn more at www.wc-cf.org