Wylie High Seniors Lead Digital Balance Initiative to Promote Connection Beyond Screens

Wylie High School seniors Quynh Nguyen and Kristina Restrepo are leading a campus-wide initiative, challenging their peers to rethink their relationship with screens and rediscover the value of being present.

When Nguyen looked around her AP Psychology classroom last fall, she noticed something troubling: No one was talking to each other.

“It was just lights glowing into faces,” Nguyen said. “People had friends in class, but all of that was forgotten when screens were allowed to be out.”

That moment sparked the creation of the Digital Balance Initiative, a student-led club at Wylie High School that focuses on helping teens build healthier relationships with technology and stronger connections with one another.

Nguyen, the club’s president, and Restrepo, its vice president, are both deeply involved on campus, juggling academics, extracurriculars, and leadership roles. Yet they are passionate enough to take on one more thing. Thanks to the help of its sponsor, Wylie High teacher Katy Petrus, the Digital Balance Initiative has quickly grown, drawing an average of 35 to 45 students per meeting, with some meetings attracting even more.

“Sometimes we don’t even have enough chairs to fit everyone,” Restrepo said.

Nguyen describes the Digital Balance Initiative as an inclusive space centered on presence and connection.

“A lot of people describe our club as the ‘friend club,’” Nguyen said. “It doesn’t matter if you like sports, math, or anything else. The value is essential to everyone. It’s just about being present.”

The club was established before the state’s new law banning personal electronic devices while at school, and Nguyen said the shift has only helped reinforce the group’s mission. Students have started to understand the difference that not being tied to your phone makes.

“I thought people might not like us so much with the phone ban,” Nguyen said. “But we haven’t had any negative response. Now people might see the value more because they’re forced to see it.”

Through meetings, discussions, and hands-on activities, the Digital Balance Initiative encourages students to reflect on how technology affects their mental health, productivity, and relationships. Nguyen said leading the club has made her more aware of her own habits.

“I’ve noticed small moments where I lost time or valuable opportunities to connect with family and friends,” she said. “I’ve done research and written schoolwork about this; it does correlate with a lot of mental health issues.”

One of Nguyen’s favorite experiences was a community park cleanup organized by the club, along with meetings where students act out “digital red flags,” such as being on a phone during dinner or comparing themselves to others online.

“It was very chaotic and very fun,” Nguyen said. “Afterward, we acted out the positive version to see how those habits could be solved.”

Restrepo said her commitment to the club stems from personal experience.

“I was seriously addicted to Instagram and TikTok,” she said. “I’m naturally curious and enjoy learning and being productive, and I realized how terrible I felt after being on social media for so long.”

Restrepo eventually deleted the apps and even blocked social media websites to regain control.

“It was really hard,” she said. “But being self-aware is the first step. So many people become complacent and ignore the negative effects.”

That awareness, she said, is what initially draws students to the club.

“The first thing we talked about was how technology is affecting your life in ways you see and don’t see,” Restrepo said. “Then we talked about strategies to overcome phone addiction and balance screen time.”

Beyond habits, Restrepo values the community the club has built.

“When I put my phone down and talked to people, I made friends I never thought I would talk to,” she said. “DBI is really unifying. I see students from all grades, activities, and personalities.”

Nguyen believes the club has already made a lasting impact on campus culture.

“I actually hear the word ‘screenager’ now,” she said. “People say, ‘Get off your phone, you’re being a screenager.’ DBI brought that culture of being present to our school.”

Looking ahead, Nguyen hopes to expand the initiative beyond Wylie High.

“I want to continue this and maybe turn it into a nonprofit,” she said. “Schools are where the next teachers, presidents, and leaders are. We need to teach them how to manage their time and avoid the hindrance screens can bring. I see DBI as a movement.”

For Restrepo, the message is simple but urgent.

“Being addicted to technology is prohibiting us from reaching our full potential as students and individuals,” she said. “We lose productivity, creativity, and the things that are crucial for the rest of our lives. It’s called the Digital Balance Initiative because we are taking initiative in our lives.”