Students at St. Johns High School are taking action to address growing concerns about social media's impact on teen mental health by creating a new community resource designed to help their peers disconnect from screens.
- Students helped create a labyrinth at St. Johns City Park for teen mental health
- Partnership between high school Youth Action Committee and the St. Johns Call-In Coalition
- A ribbon-cutting event is being planned for the spring
WATCH: Students help create labyrinth for teen mental health in St. Johns
The labyrinth, a walking meditation path located in St. Johns City Park, was developed through a partnership between the St. Johns Call-In Coalition and the school's Youth Action Committee as a mental health resource for students.
"It's a mental health resource. It's a patio of some sort," said Andrea Ryan, who leads the St. Johns Call-In Coalition.
Ryan, who works as a therapist, said constant connection to social media can harm young people's wellbeing.
"The more hours that someone spends on, especially young people spending on social media, can harm their mental health creating more anxious bodies and minds," Ryan said.
The project comes as concerns about social media's effects on youth continue to grow nationwide. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg addressed a jury Wednesday in a trial over alleged youth harm linked to social media platforms.
For local parents like Amber Stanton, a mother of six, limiting screen time is already a daily challenge in her household.
"I feel that social media is very harmful to children, so we really limit it in this household," Stanton said. "None of my kids were allowed to get phones until they turned 13."
Stanton said she hopes to see more protections for children online.
"I don't think kids are able to understand how detrimental it can be to their health," Stanton said.
The labyrinth offers an alternative space for teens to step away from digital distractions and reconnect with themselves and nature.
A ribbon-cutting event for the new labyrinth is being planned for spring.
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