Nearly 300 students at Ethel Dwyer Middle School are going dark; no television, video games, Internet or movies for the next 10 days.

The pledge is part of a campaign that kicks off Wednesday and will run until May 6 to raise awareness about the amount of time students spend in front of the television or on the Internet.

“I hope (students) see how much we really depend on the television,” said Madison Hokans-Csurilla, 14. “They don’t need it that much.”

Hokans-Csurilla partnered with fellow students Varsha Midha, Jett Wooten and Samantha Cendro to put the campaign together and get the word out to their peers.

Students and teachers held a pep rally on Monday in which they swatted away cardboard televisions with a plastic bat to get ready for the challenge.

The average student spends 1,500 hours a year in front of the television compared with the 900 hours they spend in school, according to statistics from Dwyer Assistant Principal Michelle Buckman, who is also taking part in the challenge.

“That’s the statistic that really shocked us,” she said. “The whole point…is to recognize how much you are watching TV.”

Student organizers said they think it will be a difficult challenge. Hokans-Csurilla said she will have to give up watching Jeopardy nightly with her family and Wooten will have to skip her weekly movie night out this weekend – but the students plan to stay active during the 10 days.

“I think (everyone) will be surprised how much extra time they will have,” Midha, 13, said. “I like reading, writing and dancing so I plan to do a lot of that.”

The challenge also coincides with the school’s California Standardized Testing week and the students say they think students participating in the challenge will spend more time studying.

Those who signed up will be wearing wristbands on campus and keeping track of their progress at home. The school is holding a reception on May 7 for those who completed the challenge.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7953 or jfletcher@ocregister.com