It was a device-free zone at the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) club recently!

The Pine Bush High School club  has had a very productive and busy year. But on this particular day, they kicked back for an hour, disconnected from their devices and connected with each other!

 

 

Advisor Kathleen O’Malley had snacks for the group and board games. They played chess, Uno, Connect Four and more! They sat and chatted with each other, things they don’t organically do when devices are around.

 

And they had fun! This year the club led a food drive and donated to the Middletown Animal Shelter. They had an ice cream social at the beginning of the school year to get to know each other. They’ve done crafting, made scrubs for self-care, and even found meaningful quotes and made flowers for Women’s History Month, giving them to the important women in their lives.

 

 

They’ve been learning about the importance of living their lives connected more to each other than a device. They’ve learned how dangerous it is to drive distracted. They created a “Text Less, Live More” campaign, bringing it to their peers during lunch periods. They got signatures on their board from the students who want to Text Less, Live More. The idea is to promote healthy habits online and in-person, living more in the moment than online.

 

The group is spreading important information about being safe for prom, too.

Their board reads: “We believe in examining digital habits and understanding digital dependence. We are committed to learning how to live a balanced, present life, while understanding the prevalence of technology in our daily lives.”

This is a terrific group of students with a very important message for their peers, envisioning their future!