© Provided by Springfield News-Sun Several of the Youth Arts Ambassadors presented information on the National Day of Unplugging to the Springfield City Commission meeting on Feb. 25 and received a proclamation and encouraged people like Commissioner Rob Rue, right, to participate. Courtesy photo An area youth group is drawing attention to the issue of too much screen time through a recent play and promoting a nation-wide effort.
The Springfield Arts Council's Youth Arts Ambassadors have met with various community leaders to promote the National Day of Unplugging, which encourages a break from electronics from sunset on Friday, March 6 through sundown on Saturday, March 7. Their efforts earned a proclamation from Springfield Mayor Warren Copeland to declare Friday as Springfield's Day of Unplugging.
The respite from technology can mean connecting with ourselves, loved ones and the community.
The Ambassadors are middle school though high school age youths who do workshops, put on performances and other performing arts activities, and were keen on doing something beyond just a performance.
It began with "The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet," presented this past weekend at the John Legend Theater. Romeo and Juliet were portrayed as modern teens, obsessed with selfies and texting and leaving the romance secondary, along with another scene showing cultural need for our phones.
By fortunate coincidence, the show and National Day of Unplugging were close together.
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Play director Beth Dixon encouraged the Ambassadors to look deeper and they treated the challenge seriously, meeting with the local professionals from the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Clark Greene and Madison counties, recovery and counseling program WellSpring, The United Way and professors from Wittenberg University to discover more.
"The aim was for kids to think about how much we depend on the devices and how they affect us and our relationships," said Dixon. "They found a lot of kids sleep their phones, which can affect sleep and brain development and are more depressed and anxious and we wanted to not just perform about it, but raise awareness in the community in other ways."
Studies found many kids admit being on their phones at night when parents think they're asleep; going to sleep to YouTube; waking up at night and getting on the phones. Many kids with anxiety and depression were just really tired from sleep deprivation from screen use.
The Ambassadors presented their findings to local coalitions, school boards, Clark County Commissioners, Springfield City Commissioners and for groups including the Springfield Rotary Club. Dixon has also seen signs in businesses encouraging unplugging.
One of the biggest surprises was parents' cell usage.
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"The kids perceived their parents spend as much or more time on their phones. As adults, we want to model what we want to see for the kids," Dixon said. "It's been a great example of youth-led prevention. Kids listen to other kids rather than adults preaching what they should and shouldn't be doing and why these groups were excited about project – it's led by kids."
Kids and adults got signs reading "I Unplug to…" and filled in what they would do with the time away from the screens and added photos to the Ambassadors website. Dixon liked they were thinking deep and having a good time.
Ambassador Annika Ruggles has had her own struggles with electronics dependence. The television was always on in her house and she couldn't sleep without it on. Now she worries about her peers' phone usage.
"It's not just the effect on the eyes, it takes a toll on mental development," said Ruggles, a sophomore at Global Impact STEM Academy.
Meghan Roberts was inspired to create an online survey the Ambassadors distributed to local students, including home-schooled kids, about their screen time. She hoped for 100 replies and received 750.
"It was really cool to see those who took it so seriously," said the Catholic Central sophomore.
The survey asked how you use your phone and do your parents use it the same as you among the questions. Roberts recognized a problem. The response from the local leadership has also been a plus.
"It's insane to see the way our community will help," she said.
Roberts admits she's on her phone a lot, but not addicted, just reliant, and that people who look into the effort may find they don't think it applies to them but may be surprised.
While not a cure-all, National Day of Unplugging just may be the start of people not being so dependent on their devices.
"It would be great if next year it got bigger and brighter, if other groups in schools can take on the project and run with it or the Ambassadors could put on another show," Dixon said.
For more information on the Ambassadors and their work, go to www.facebook.com/youthartsambassadors/.
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