Cape Central High School cell phone pouches receive positive reviews from students, faculty

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – About a month ago, Cape Central High School junior Aimee Caldwell had her doubts about the Yondr phone pouches the school was set to implement. 

“I didn’t expect it to go like this,” Caldwell said.

But now she said they have been a smashing success.

“I think there’s a lot more connection in the classroom,” she said. “Even the first day, there were so many more people talking and connecting.” 

Senior Jermaine Feltus also had his doubts, but those doubts faded quickly. 

“As the day came, as the days went by, the day-by-day, you would just see more people connecting, like there’s people at lunch playing Uno,” he said.

At the beginning of the day, students place their phone in their pouch, which locks to keep the phone inside the pouch for the duration of the school day. Then when classes are finished, they use a magnetic contraption to unlock the case and have access to their phone. 

Multiple faculty members tell me they are pleasantly surprised with how the students have adapted to these pouches. 

“Coming out of Christmas break, I was really nervous about it, I won’t lie, but it was just kind of instant and amazing to see the kids just immediately socialize,” English Department Chair Taylor Bryant said.

“I tell them all the time, like this is how it was when I was in school, and we made it, like it was fine, we made it, and you guys will make it, too. And I think they’re coming around to it,” social worker Tiffany Hallis said. “They seem to be doing pretty good.”