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In an era where “logging on” is as routine as brushing your teeth, it is important to prioritize the mental health and digital safety of students. New data from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) reveals a striking reality: 80% of Utah students aged 12 to 18 spend at least two hours every day immersed in social media, gaming, or texting.

While this connectivity offers unprecedented access to information, it also brings “heavy realities” into the palms of students’ hands, including exposure to graphic world events and misinformation.

The impact of that digital tether is discussed in this episode of the Connect Canyons podcast, where district experts—including Mental Health Specialist Lori Hunt, School Psychologist Brandon Segura, and Social Worker Shad Roundy—discuss the shifting landscape of student wellness.

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As Seattle and New England prepare to face off for Super Bowl LX, Canyons District’s resident gridiron experts sound off on The Big Game. In Connect Canyons' third-annual Super Bowl predictions episode, Canyons Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins is joined by Corner Canyon's Casey Sutera, Jordan High's Marc Albertson and Peruvian Park Elementary teacher and former University of Utah football standout Cal Beck for the yearly conversation about the expected action between the two teams in the world championship game. Also joining the conversation was Sealver Siliga, a former NFL star from Utah who played for both Seattle and the Patriots. “I know for me personally with my own family, my own son, just how important football is,” Robins says. “It has really done so much for my life on a personal and professional level as it has for my family. And I know that's impacted all of you, and I think about just the great coaches and mentors and people that have been in our lives and what it means to the school and to the cultures that, that you all impact.” The discussion also highlighted parallels between coaching and teaching. Panelists noted that preparation, repetition and review — whether in practice or the classroom — help students build confidence and resilience. Learning to accept feedback and recover from setbacks, they said, is a skill that extends well beyond athletics. As Super Bowl week unfolds, the group also discussed the game itself, pointing to defensive match-ups, coaching strategies and attention to detail as factors that often determine outcomes on the sport’s biggest stage. While predictions varied, the panel agreed that preparation and trust — developed well before kickoff — remain central to success at every level of football. But the conversation also underscored a broader message: while wins and losses matter, the lasting impact of football is often found in the lessons learned, the relationships built, and the confidence students carry with them long after the final whistle. "I know our young people are going through a lot,” Robins says, “Everything that's happening in our world and all the pressures and mental health issues and things that our students are dealing with, hope that they listen to you and listen to our podcast today and can just gain a little bit of hope.”

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Believe it or not, we're nearly halfway through the 2025-26 school year. Students are transitioning from playing games with their families over winter break to turning their alarms back on and getting back in the habit of classes and homework.

At the beginning of the year, we discussed how to get in that back to school groove. Now, on the latest episode of Connect Canyons, we’re hearing from two of our AVID experts about how now getting in a refresher on some of those methodologies would be helpful for teachers, students, and parents alike as we start out 2026.

“It’s important to review the basics with your students,” says Jenny Warner, Instructional Coach at Glacier Hills Elementary. “You almost have to pretend like you’re starting the year again, reviewing the routines and the rules with the students. One thing too, I think is really important, is to let the students have a voice in that. They have such powerful voices and listening to what they think is really important and maybe changing it and making it work for your whole classroom community.”