Courtesy of Dallas Lewis
Dallas + Isaac, Spain Park DRI
Digital Reset Developers, Dallas Lewis and Isaac Eaker, are both Juniors at Spain Park High School and members of DECA.
Spain Park High School juniors, Dallas Lewis (DECA President and Alabama’s first-ever DECA International Career Development Conference first-place champion) and Isaac Eaker (Spain Park DECA’s Vice President of Leadership), are launching a Digital Reset initiative in Hoover, Alabama. Both boys hope this project will help teens manage recreational screen time, an issue they believe is quietly damaging teens’ focus, relationships, and mental health. Enjoy Hoover recently had the opportunity to learn more about this timely project and the students behind it.
EJ: Can you start by telling me a little bit about your initiative and how it came to be?
Eaker: Dallas and I sat down together to brainstorm and decided we wanted to do something that would make Hoover a better city. We both identified screen time overuse as a real problem, tough to manage, even in our own lives. I began noticing people around me at school, restaurants, everywhere really—who weren't actually communicating. Our generation feels connected through our phones, but I believe we are more disconnected than ever. We want our peers to rediscover that life beyond the screen is richer and better.
Lewis: National studies show teens spend an average of more than 7 hours a day on recreational screen use, not including schoolwork. With Alabama’s new FOCUS Act banning phones during school hours, many students are struggling to manage screen habits outside the classroom. Digital Reset aims to close that gap by equipping students, parents, and educators with tools to find a healthier balance.
EH: Okay, so it’s an initiative, but how will you implement it in the real world?
Eaker: We hope readers will check out our website, digitalresetinitiative.org. We’ve included educational tools such as a Digital Reset Guide and parent workshops, as well as community engagement activities. We will spark community involvement through social media campaigns and local partnerships with area businesses. The initiative’s mission is to help Hoover teens reclaim thousands of hours from their phones, replacing that time with activities that strengthen focus, friendships and mental health.
Lewis: Our goal is not just to limit phone use, but to encourage students to rediscover joy in offline life. Digital Reset will provide students with a practical guide on how to make healthier digital choices.
Courtesy of Dallas Lewis
Dallas Lewis, Spain Park DRI
Dallas Lewis, as he won 1st Place at the 2025 International Career Development Conference this past summer.
EJ: What has the student reaction at Spain Park been like in relation to the new law banning cellphones in schools?
Lewis: I think it is a good thing for both the students and teachers. I feel like students are more engaged in class and talking to each other and learning, but I feel there's a lot of resentment towards it, and students are not very happy about it. There's a kid at our own high school who started a petition to get phones back in schools in Alabama and already has over 10,000 signatures.
EH: What would you say to the Hoover community in hopes of encouraging them to participate in the Digital Reset?
Eaker & Lewis: Whether it’s around the Thanksgiving table or by the Christmas tree, the greatest gift you can give your family is your full attention. For one holiday gathering, make it a tradition to set phones aside and focus on sharing stories, laughs and gratitude.
Follow the Digital Reset Initiative
Visit digitalresetinitiative.org more information, including the Digital Reset Guide, offline engagement ideas and upcoming events.