How a cellphone ban changed the way one high school scrolled

Students at Wakefield High School in Arlington , Virginia , use phones to navigate daily life.

School bans cellphones during school hours to limit classroom disruption and lessen the harmful effects of social media on teens’ mental health.

The Washington Post interviewed eight students about the program and reviewed some of their screen-time reports to better understand how they used the devices.

Students at Wakefield High School in Arlington , D.C. , are using pouches to lock cellphones in school.

The school board voted to adopt a policy requiring student devices to be off and away for the entire school day at all grade levels.

School officials plan to look at student performance and discipline before committing to the program permanently.

Students are paying more attention and interacting more inside and outside of class, teacher says.

Studies have found that taking away phones could help learning and lower anxiety.

Schoolwide pouch pilot has exceeded expectations, says Wakefield student of the month .

School administrators confiscate about 25 to 30 phones a day, returning them at the end of the day .