Establish "Wait Until 8th" Cohorts Across All Elementary Grades

We are working to build a strong "Wait Until 8th" presence within every grade at Horace Mann Elementary and El Rodeo Elementary Schools. By fostering parent-led cohorts, we aim to create a supportive culture that encourages families to delay smartphone use until at least the end of 8th grade, helping all our children develop without the pressures of early digital exposure.

Limit YouTube Access on School-Issued Devices at the Elementary Level

We advocate for practical, developmentally appropriate digital boundaries in schools, including restricting access to YouTube altogether on elementary school devices. While YouTube can offer educational content, it is notoriously difficult to fully safeguard. Even on restricted accounts, children can easily access an overwhelming array of inappropriate or developmentally unsuitable videos. Moreover, the platform's design (which encourages rapid consumption and continuous autoplay) often leads to compulsive viewing habits, where children jump from one video to the next without fully engaging. This fragmented consumption can undermine focus, reduce attention spans, and interfere with deeper learning and sustained concentration. Our goal is to ensure that in-school technology use is intentional, safe, and supportive of healthy cognitive development.

Expand Community Outreach and Advocacy Around Child Neurodevelopment

We are committed to increasing community awareness of the growing body of research on child and adolescent brain development, particularly how it is affected by screen time and digital media. Through workshops, speaker events, and partnerships with experts, we aim to empower parents, educators, and policymakers with knowledge that informs better choices for our children's futures.