1. The Affinity Challenge
7th Grade students – Lawton Chiles Middle School

2. Purpose
Yearly, more studies are done on middle and high school age students’ use of technology, and every time the results are scary. Young adults have more cases of ‘separation anxiety’ and ‘depression’ from technology use than the history of either of those diseases, and it gets progressively worse each year.
When does it start? From the stroke of midnight the morning of Friday, April 1 to the stroke of midnight the morning of Saturday, April 9, no technology will be used by the students
Here are the rules:

3. No technology includes the following:
Cell Phones:
No cell phones except for emergencies (No tablets, phablets, or other smart devices – and no active use apps)
NOTE: Parents are ALWAYS considered an emergency, so calls and texts to parents must be responded to.
Music and alarms are allowed. These are passive apps. YouTube cannot be used for music.
Internet/Computers:
No internet or computer use at home except for homework
This does not include classwork and school work done during school hours. You are required to do all classroom activities daily, even if they use technology.

4. Television/Video games
No movies, TV shows, or internet programs of any kind.
This counts for online shows, sports programs, news, weather – no television whatsoever. You are required to leave the room should the television be on.
No video games of any kind.
This includes hand-helds, consoles, computer, internet, calculator, or any other form of electronic games.

5. Daily Journal
Requirements for each day – two paragraphs detailing what you are doing during the day. There will also be a list of questions you are to answer daily.
The materials will be given to you on Friday in class. Remember, the challenge begins Friday morning.
Lastly, parent signatures are required for each day. This is a week- long challenge, which means there is no off day, nor is there a day you can forget to do the challenge. You must hold yourself accountable, and your parents will sign if they feel you have completed the challenge for that day.

6. What to do without technology
Hang out with friends and family in person (no Skype/FaceTime)
Read a book every day - No Kindles/Nooks/ereaders
Go outdoors at least once a day for about 30 minutes, weather permitting.
Go for a walk, walk the dog, yard work, play OUTDOOR sports, etc.
Set up appointments and meeting places for your friends ahead of time.
Help out around the house and spend time with your family.
Google things to do without technology and write the list down. Trust me, you will appreciate this list once the challenge starts.
If you mess up occasionally, just put down the technology and continue going. Don’t give up.
Tell people on social media you will be gone for a week so they do not worry.