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Vol. 32 No. 6
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amos Español
Diversity unites them
Cultural clubs give students safe space By Ainsley Martinez amartinez@liherald.com
Courtesy Melinda Best
When Paula Rojas-Young’s family moved from Hempstead to Lynbrook when she was in middle school, she felt like she had lost the sense of connection she had with her Hispanic community. The Hispanic and Latino population is half as large in Lynbrook as it is in Hempstead, according to U.S. Census data. But soon after enrolling at Lynbrook High School, Rojas-Young found a new way to bridge that gap: She joined the school’s Culture Club. This year she serves as president of the 45-member organization. “Now I have the opportunity to
YOU Nations members at East Rockaway High School gathered to learn about different cultures and countries.
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Proposal could modify school districts’ cellphone policies By Ainsley Martinez amartinez@liherald.com
In recent years, many young people have come to feel as if smartphones are nothing less than extension of themselves, keeping them in touch with the world as they rely ever more heavily on technology. But do their devices affect students’ ability to learn in school? According to the National Institutes of Health, smartphones may have detrimental effects on learning and memory, and a reliance on them has been linked to a form of psychological dependency.
Gov. Kathy Hochul agrees, and proposed banning the phones from schools in her budget address on Jan. 21. Her plan, part of her $252 billion fiscal year 2026 executive budget, would prevent the use of smartphones and other internet-enabled devices on school grounds during the school day, including classroom time, lunch and study halls. Schools would devise their own ways to implement the ban and store the devices. Hochul’s proposal includes roughly $13.5 million in state funding to help schools purchase storage o p t i o n s, s u ch a s c u bb i e s,
pouches or lockers. The plan would also require schools to ensure that parents have a way to contact their children during the day if needed. According to a statement given to the Herald last Friday, the Lynbrook school district’s administration supports the proposal, and emphasizes the need for students to focus on work during the day. “In fact, our district has a l re a dy i m p l e m e n t e d c e l l phone restrictions that balance educational needs with student well-being,” the statement read. “We recognize that while technology plays a vital role in an educational setting, limiting
personal cell phone use during instructional time helps minimize distractions, improve student engagement and foster collaboration.” The East Rockaway school district has a similar policy. At East Rockaway Junior-Senior High School, students in seventh through ninth grades are not per mitted to use their
phones or other personal devices at any time except during lunch, in the cafeteria, while upperclassmen can use phones in specified areas during lunch and breaks, and while in the hallway, restroom or any other location outside the classroom. In both districts, failure to comply with the policy can CONtiNUEd ON pagE 12