By Tommy Armstrong
July 24, 2025
Audio Transcript
Ku’ulei Kahale: Syracuse City School District is officially on board with New York State’s “Bell-to-Bell” phone ban. NCC’s Tommy Armstrong shows how one local educator sees the value in taking phones out of school.
*Phone Ringing*
Tommy Armstrong: Let’s send that to voicemail. Sharon Hodson runs “Kids Unplugged,” a summer program that gets phones out of students’ hands.
Sharon Hodson: One, kids are too glued to their screens. I just feel like they need more human interaction. I’ve seen some amazing friendships blossom from this program.
Tommy Armstrong: Hodson says those amazing things happen every year in her program.
Sharon Hodson: I have one girl that comes to mind. Her mom called me and told me she actually doesn’t want to go on her tablet anymore. I give her tablet time she’d rather draw or play outside.
Tommy Armstrong: Hodson hopes that same effect is seen in the classrooms, when school districts implement the ban this upcoming school year. Live from the newsroom — this is Tommy Armstrong.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — As the Syracuse City School District joins New York state’s “bell-to-bell” phone ban, one local educator hopes the change is a step toward a healthier learning environment.
Sharon Hodson runs Kids Unplugged CNY, a nature-based program just outside Baldwinsville that encourages kids to disconnect from screens and reconnect with each other. Activities like hiking, yoga and outdoor art replace the constant scroll of social media.
“Kids are too glued to their screens. I think social media is doing a lot of harm to our kids, especially as they get older with teens,” Hodson said.
She has already seen the benefits of easing off screens in her own program.
“I’ve seen amazing friendships blossom from this program,” Hodson said.
She recalled one student whose mom noticed a complete shift in behavior.
“She used to go straight to her tablet,” Hodson said. “Now she’d rather draw or play outside.”
With the phone ban set to take effect this school year, Hodson hopes students make the same progress in the classroom.