DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) - At Hoover High in Des Moines, Principal Qynne Kelly says her students’ mental health comes first.

“I’ve seen kids struggle to make friends, I’ve seen them struggle in the classroom, I’ve seen them self-harm,” she said.

Last year, she banned cellphones in all classrooms. That policy caught the attention of Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, who recognized Principal Kelly when she signed House File 782, encouraging similar cellphone restrictions statewide.

But for Kelly, the mission is personal after losing her young son last year.

“Really read the pulse of what’s happening in our world, in our state, even here locally in Des Moines… and to do something about that. Because I would want that for my own child.”

She says constant phone use and social media are taking a t

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