With new statewide rules limiting cellphone use in schools, a Birmingham entrepreneur is stepping up to help students and families prepare for a healthier relationship with technology.
Tackling Digital Overload with Community Support
Courtney Woods, founder of PC Media Techs and a consultant for Bessemer City Schools, is leading the charge with a new initiative called Digital Detox Week. The free, public series of events runs from July 24 through August 5 and focuses on helping families unplug and reset ahead of the upcoming school year.
“As Alabama takes bold steps to limit unnecessary screen time at school, families and students need tools to manage their digital habits at home, too,” Woods said. “A digital detox is about unplugging from constant notifications and reconnecting with what really matters — our focus, our mental health, and each other.”
Aligning with Alabama’s New FOCUS Act
Digital Detox Week comes as Alabama rolls out the FOCUS Act — the Freeing Our Classrooms of Unnecessary Screens for Safety Act — which restricts student cellphone use during instructional time in public K–12 schools. Woods said the change may present a challenge for students used to being connected throughout the day, making the transition support even more important.
Through her work with Bessemer City Schools, Woods is helping schools align with the state’s new guidelines while also giving families strategies to cope with reduced screen access both in and out of the classroom.
A Week of Events for Reconnecting Offline
The Digital Detox Week includes both in-person and virtual events designed to encourage mindfulness around screen time. Activities include an after-work mixer, a community fun day, an educational webinar, and a seven-day digital detox countdown for students and families. Topics range from digital mental health to sleep hygiene and building offline habits.
Woods emphasized that studies have linked excessive screen time to poor sleep, anxiety, and decreased focus in young people. “The FOCUS Act sends a clear message that our classrooms should be safe learning environments free from digital distractions,” she said.
For families looking to reset their tech habits before school begins, Digital Detox Week offers a timely opportunity to log off—and reconnect.
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