Elena pressed her back against the cold cellar wall, heart hammering against her ribs. This can't be happening, she thought. The tornado sirens had given them only seconds of warning. Now the world above was chaos - she could hear the house groaning like a wounded animal, glass shattering somewhere overhead.
She thought about her grandmother's stories of the 1974 tornado. "The sky turned green," Grandma had said. "Green as a sick cat's eyes." Elena wondered if the sky was green now, but she couldn't bring herself to climb the stairs and look.
Would this be the last thing she ever experienced? This cold, dark cellar? The smell of dust and old potatoes?
[CLOSE-UP: Elena's face, tears mixing with dust. Her breathing is rapid, audible.]
[SOUND: Tornado roar builds. House CREAKING, GLASS SHATTERING above. Emergency sirens distant.]
[FLASHBACK: Brief, SILENT image of grandmother telling story. Cut to: sepia-toned footage of 1974 tornado damage.]
[RETURN to present: Extreme close-up of Elena's eyes, reflecting flickering light. She hugs her knees tighter.]
[MUSIC: Low, rumbling score intensifies. Cut to: EXTERIOR - dark green sky, debris flying, house visible from distance.]
A new study from Stanford University found that teens who spend more than three hours daily on social media are twice as likely to report symptoms of anxiety and depression. The research, which followed 5,000 adolescents over two years, controlled for factors including family income, academic performance, and prior mental health history.
"The correlation is significant," said Dr. Maria Chen, lead researcher. "But correlation doesn't equal causation. We need more research to understand the mechanisms."
The study found that the type of use matters: passive scrolling showed stronger links to depression than active posting and commenting.
[INTERVIEW: Teen girl, "Sarah," speaking directly to camera. Tears forming.]
SARAH: "I would scroll for hours comparing myself to everyone. I felt like I was the only one struggling while everyone else had perfect lives."
[B-ROLL: Montage of phone screens showing curated, filtered images. Soft, melancholy music plays.]
[INTERVIEW: Dr. Chen shown in her office]
DR. CHEN: "What we're seeing is unprecedented. An entire generation growing up with these tools, and we're still learning the effects."
[GRAPHICS: Animated statistics appear - "2x" zooms dramatically onto screen]
a) Quickly find the specific statistics:
b) Understand the emotional impact on real teens:
Local News Website Article: "The new $2.3 million Riverside Skateboard Park officially opened Saturday, featuring a competition-grade bowl, street course, and beginner area. City officials expect the park to reduce complaints about downtown skateboarding. Mayor Torres called it 'an investment in our youth.'"
Teen Vlogger's YouTube Video: [Shows herself skating] "Okay so I finally tried the new park and OH MY GOSH you guys! The bowl is INSANE - like, Olympic-level good. The only problem? It gets SO crowded. Like, I waited twenty minutes for my turn. But honestly? Worth it. The city actually listened to us for once!"
Radio News Brief (30 seconds): "In local news, the Riverside Skateboard Park is now open. The two-point-three-million-dollar project aims to give young skateboarders a dedicated space and reduce skating in the downtown business district. More details at our website."