Stay Connected

Few issues in schools today are more complicated than cell phone use.

They distract students, can serve as conduits for bullying, and may aggravate isolation and mental health struggles. At the same time, they can be important tools for safety, connection, and learning support.

Sandia Prep is one of three schools nationwide selected to partner with Challenge Success, a program from Stanford’s Graduate School of Education, to help develop a toolkit for schools worldwide to create and implement effective cell phone policies.

The cell phone conversation is part of a broader effort to examine how Prep and its families can better promote student well-being and engagement. Alongside two California schools -- La Cañada High School in Flintridge and Legacy Magnet Academy in Tustin -- Prep is working with Challenge Success to analyze school systems, survey students, provide parent education, and explore changes that foster balance and fulfillment in students’ lives.

The team is studying topics such as schedule and time demands, motivation, assessment, school climate, anxiety, and learning conditions -- and how these factors influence student health and well-being.

“Challenge Success is about creating a world where teachers and students feel heard and supported in their daily lives,” explains Prep sophomore Jill Barrett ’28, who attended a fall conference at Stanford with fellow students and faculty.

Student Leadership and Collaboration

Prep’s student team -- selected through an essay process -- includes Linden Groves ’27, Elizabeth Lewis ’27, Jill Barrett ’28, Elle Gordon ’29, and Landon Maestas ’30. Faculty and staff participants include Dean of Student Life Brian Tregembo, Assistant Head of School for Middle School Susi Hochrein, School Psychologist Dr. Amber L. Hayes, and history teacher Tom Gentry-Funk.

At Stanford, the group worked with a coach to develop strategies for gathering student voice and attended workshops on high-achiever stress, academic and athletic burnout, and increasing belonging.

Barrett is optimistic about the initiative’s impact. “I think it will change Prep for the better by creating a more welcoming environment where people aren’t afraid to ask for help when they’re struggling, and also to give Prep a more student voice,” she said.

Eighth grader Landon Maestas ’30 said he felt personally connected to the work. “I know how stressful school can be with grades, expectations, or just fitting in,” he says.

For junior Linden Groves ’27, the focus on sleep deprivation stood out. “I believe this program provides the opportunity for our community to more easily make data-driven and customized decisions to benefit our school,” he added.

What the Data Revealed

In November, upper school students completed the Challenge Success–Stanford Survey of School Experiences. Results highlighted both strengths and challenges:

• 82% of Prep students reported at least one stress-related health symptom in the previous month, such as exhaustion, difficulty sleeping, headaches, or stomach problems.
• Only 9% reported feeling “very confident” in their ability to cope with stress. 
• Students averaged seven hours of sleep per night, and 79% sleep with their phone in their room.
• 79% reported a trusted connection with an adult at school; 91% reported a trusted connection with at least one other student.
• 89% reported being fully engaged behaviorally, cognitively, and affectively, meaning they put a lot of effort into their schoolwork, find it to be meaningful, and enjoy what they are doing.
• Students listed major stressors as grades, tests, workload, homework, and procrastination/time management.
• 48.8% check grades online daily.
• 65% report “too much” homework, and 60.9% believe reducing the homework load would improve the student experience.

Turning Insight into Action

As part of the Challenge Success program, students have launched several initiatives.

Upper school students Elizabeth Lewis ’27, Jill Barrett ’28, and Elle Gordon ’29 introduced the “I Wish” campaign, inviting students to anonymously share messages with teachers, coaches, and trusted adults. Examples included:
“I wish my teachers knew that I only get five hours of sleep a night.”
“I wish my teachers knew that I am trying my hardest.”
“I wish my teachers knew just how long and stressful my days are.”

The team decorated mailboxes and distributed “I Wish” slips to collect responses.

Linden Groves ’27 and Landon Maestas ’30 are also working with Dr. Charles Becknell (father of Silas ’27 and Averie ’31) to host “listening-in” sessions with affinity groups, including the Black Student Union (BSU), Hispanic Heritage Club, and Native American Sandia Prep Alliance (NASPA).

Prep has continued collaborating with its two cohort schools to share ideas and support one another. In January, the school hosted Challenge Success School Partnership Coach Dr. Brandon Wiley to explore how the partnership can further support student engagement, belonging, mental health, and academic success.

Cell Phones and Community

Research continues to link adolescent cell phone use -- particularly among middle school students -- to mental health challenges.

In July, Sandia Prep communicated updated electronics policies to families. “We believe that it’s crucial for our students to be able to engage with their learning without the distraction that comes from cell phone notifications,” Head of School Heather B. Mock said in an email. “We also want to be sure our students and faculty have ample time and space to engage face-to-face, developing important connections. After all, strong relationships are at the heart of a Sandia Prep education.”

Prep’s policy will continue to evolve as the school finds new ways to help students and families manage screen time, she added.

To learn more about Challenge Success and its mission to help students lead healthy, purposeful, balanced lives, visit challengesuccess.org.