Author: Heather Inyart
I Learned That the Best Way to Stop Scrolling Is to Start Playing
By Aaron Gelman, MPY Advisory Board Member
At least once every week when my brother and I are bored after school, I run upstairs and yell, “Hey Roger, do you want to play tennis?” Sometimes he says yes and sometimes he says no. When he agrees, we spend an hour pounding the ball back and forth, experimenting with our serves, and playing silly mini tennis games.
But after joining Media Power Youth earlier this year — and thinking more about my media use habits — I realized that the best part of this ritual is that we’re spending over an hour having fun together, getting exercise, and staying off our phones.
As we all search for ways to regulate our daily phone habits, I think one of the best things we can do is simply remember to play. KEEP READING
Orange YOU Curious?
October is Bullying Prevention Month, traditionally marked by the color orange and Media Power Youth is asking local communities to add something else to the conversation: curiosity.
Orange You Curious? is bullying prevention campaign designed to turn awareness into conversation. Throughout October, orange buttons, ribbons, signs, and resources will appear in participating community spaces, organizations, and businesses creating opportunities to talk about bullying, what young people are experiencing, and how all of us can help build communities where they feel safe, supported, and connected.
Why curiosity?
Because sometimes the best way to understand what young people are experiencing is simply to ask.
What Happens When Students Tell the Story of Their Community
What happens when students are given the tools, time, and trust to tell a story that matters to them?
At Franklin High School, the 2026 New Hampshire School of the Year, the answer became A City Reimagined, a 25-minute student-produced documentary exploring the students’ hometown and the role their school plays within it.
Media Power Youth partnered with Franklin High School for the semester-long “Rooted in Franklin” journalism elective, made possible with support from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. From the beginning, students had ownership of the project, including choosing the two questions that would guide their work:
Why do people choose to stay in Franklin?
How does our school bring this community together?
Forget Willpower: These 6 Tips Make It Easier to Stay ‘Locked In’ for Studying
Over the past few years, balancing challenging school classes, extracurricular activities, and sports has forced me to become more intentional about how I study. I’ve learned that staying focused isn’t about having incredible willpower. It’s about setting up an environment and routine that makes it easier to concentrate and harder to get distracted.
Here are a few strategies I’ve tried and honed over the years that have helped me stay “locked in” during busy exam weeks.