Students ask board for 'third spaces' as phone rules tighten; UNC chapter pitches LIFT mentorship
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Summary
University High students urged the board to create student-designed 'third spaces' to counter social isolation from phones; a public commenter from UNC described LIFT, a mentorship program serving Greeley students and offering scholarships and a planned summit.
GREELEY, Colo. — Student leaders from University High School asked the GreeleySchool District No. 6 Board of Education on Jan. 26 to support student‑created "third spaces" — informal gathering places intended to remedy social fragmentation they called "atomization" under tighter phone rules.
Dominic Madrigal described the problem: “The idea is that Gen Z, especially with our phones…don’t connect with each other as much as we used to,” he said, urging the board to back a student‑led timeline to design and implement third spaces that would give students alternatives to phone use.
The students also highlighted school programs they said help engagement, including a four‑day school week, career‑academy opportunities and dual-enrollment programs.
In public comment, Javier Lomelli (UNC student and member of a fraternity chapter) described LIFT (Leading Initiatives for Future Talent), a mentorship program run in collaboration with the Greeley Dream Team. Lomelli said LIFT mentors helped seniors with college applications and scholarships, that the group is launching a High School Men's Summit at UNC, and that organizers are applying for grants and sponsorships to sustain and expand the program.
Board members thanked the students for the presentation and invited further brainstorming about third‑space ideas and implementation; the board did not take formal action.
What’s next: Students and staff expect continued discussion and possible follow-up from district staff on feasible third‑space pilots and on how the district’s cell-phone policy will interact with student-created spaces.