Photo of Yondr Pouches at South Salem High School by Ari Guzman
South Salem High School has been using Yondr Pouches for the past month. A Yondr pouch is a locked bag for electronic devices that uses a magnetic mechanism to keep them secure, preventing access until the device is brought to a special unlocking base. At the start of the day, a student places their phone inside the pouch and locks it in front of school staff. During the day, the pouch stays with the student, but the phone remains unusable. At the end of the day, the student takes their pouch to a designated unlocking station, where staff use a magnetic device to open the pouch and return the phone. The Yondr pouches have caused students to pick a side. Are Yondr pouches successful or are they a waste of time?
Pros vs. Cons
While some students feel a sense of freedom from constant phone notifications, other students feel a strong sense of isolation when separated from their devices due to the Yondr pouches. Mariana Alvarez Lopez ’27 is a student with a strong discomfort with the Yondr Pouches.
“I was so annoyed when I first found out about the pouches. I love taking pictures with my friends and filming silly videos so I am so bummed I can not do that anymore. I have been taking pictures on my Chromebook but it is not the same.” Lopez said.
While Yondr Pouches are limiting photos and videos, they are allowing better opportunities to be engaged in South.
“Absolutely. Students are a lot more focused. This is true, kids are more focused. They talk to their friends more, they are louder and now I just feel like we are seeing who these kids really are.” Jaqueline Brown-Dunn ‘27 said.
Yondr Statistics
For over a decade, Yondr pouches have helped schools across all 50 states and more than 35 countries build healthier, more engaging school cultures. Their pouch-based program, combined with hands-on guidance and dedicated support, has led to powerful results: 86% reported improved safety and student wellness. 84% saw increased engagement in class. 68% experienced academic gain. 44% reduced behavioral referrals. According to Waterbury
These percentages are reflected not only in the academic side but also in the personal relationships of students at South.
Communication
“I have always been a very social person, so, no. I still hang out with my friends in class the same way I would have if I still had my phone. I email my friends during class to still keep in touch. As much as I hate the pouches, they have not taken that away from me.” Lopez said.
Pouches are hindering students’ abilities to communicate with friends, students are finding other ways to keep in touch during school hours.
“Not really, I have always had my group of friends who I talk to. Not personally but around, yes, everything is a lot louder because of people talking. I have noticed that students answer more questions even if it is a joke answer to get a reaction. That is something I noticed had been absent in middle school and into my high school life. Which is something that happened in elementary school and I feel it is coming back.” Brown-Dunn said.
