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It was only two years ago when Megan McDermott moved to Batavia. But when she saw a need, she didn't hesitate to get involved. All it took was a conversation with a fellow parent to inspire her to co-found Distraction-Free Batavia, a parent advocacy group seeking to reduce screen time in schools.
Not only did McDermott and her friend and co-founder Megan Kouba's efforts succeed in creating change - they opened the door to a deeper sense of belonging, for both Megans and the other parents who were inspired to speak up themselves.
On this episode of Area Code: Batavia, a conversation with Megan McDermott about intentional technology use, the realities of advocating in a tight-knit town, and why true belonging means having the courage to "move the furniture" in your community.
PLUS: Richard shares a stunning statistic about who lives and works in Batavia, and Alexa processes her mouse trauma.
- Read the BPS statement about technology shifts at BPS101
- View the Distraction-Free Batavia Petition
- View the presentation to the City Council that includes the statistics about who lives and works in Batavia.
- For 630 Members This Week: Richard and Alexa rank their top 5 downtown Batavia strip malls. This is important!
Disclosure: Area Code Audio also produces Kids These Days, the official podcast for Batavia Public Schools. While the district is a production client, this conversation was conducted independently.
This episode of Area Code: Batavia is sponsored by 212° Construction Group.
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Join The 630 to support this podcast and our mission to create a stronger sense of belonging in our community. Members will receive:
- Free access to quarterly live shows.
- Off-week episodes of our bonus podcast, “The Batavia Insider”.
- Influence future Area Code: Batavia content. Your voice will help guide future topics and interviews.
- Regular opportunities to meet up in person with fellow Batavians who share your passion for our town and want to build stronger bonds.
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Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Our associate producer and co-host is Alexa Swidenbank. Edited and mixed by Cray Allred. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark. Theme song by Graham Swidenbank.
