'No Cap, All Rizz': Marietta Schools Embrace Gen Z Lingo

Marietta High School teachers are being encouraged to brush up on their Gen Z slang this school year to enforce the school’s no-phone policy.

In classrooms and hallways, new posters reference artists such as Taylor Swift and Charli XCX and use popular Gen Z phrases telling students to stop using their phones.

If the posters seem cringeworthy or embarrassing, that’s because they’re supposed to be, said Chris Fiore, the school district's chief communications officer.

The campaign began after Fiore sent a poster in the style of singer Charli XCX’s album "Brat" — now No. 6 on the Billboard album chart — to a friend in the district, who showed the image to her teenage daughter.

Student feedback, including the daughter’s responses of “I hate that” and “That’s not very brat of them,” were included in the final design of the posters.

“I thought, how fun would it be to lean into the fact that I am cringey?” Fiore said. “We as a district, as adults, can be cringey, and we’re happy to stop doing that when kids put their phones away and turn their phones off.”

After the first day of school on Aug. 1, Fiore sent out an email to school staff addressing questions about the new posters. The email, titled "No Cap, All Rizz - Gen Z Phone Posters," also included definitions of Gen Z terms like “rizz,” “NPC” and “aura points,” as well as a brief guide on how to use these terms when responding to students with their phones out.

Fiore said the posters are meant to start a conversation with students and parents about phone usage.

In June, the Marietta Board of Education voted unanimously to crack down on cell phone, smart watch and social media usage among its middle-grades students.

Starting this fall, students at the Marietta Sixth Grade Academy and Marietta Middle School must lock their devices away in pouches made by the company Yondr. These pouches, which are held by students throughout the day, are locked during first period and unlocked before the final bell rings by special magnets retained by staff.

While the high school did not implement the use of pouches, there is still a strict no-phone policy during the school day.

“We don’t want to be confrontational necessarily from a communications perspective, but we also want them to hear our message,” Fiore said. “It appears that acknowledging that we’re cringe and leaning into that has done that.”

On Wednesday, Marietta City Schools posted the campaign to Facebook and Instagram, where it received almost 70 comments from students and others.

Many of the comments poked fun at the new posters, calling them “corny” and “cringe,” with some commenting on the school system’s misuse of the word “rizz” (shorthand for charisma) asking them to stop.

Fiore said staff have responded to the campaign positively, with some teachers even using the posters to talk about the importance of slang from a language perspective.

Marietta School Board Vice Chair Jason Waters said the district’s goal is to try to engage the students in any way possible.

Although he has a daughter enrolled at Marietta High, he said it’s hard to keep up with the lingo.

“We’re trying to communicate in every way we can, every medium we can. Whether it’s signs on the wall or our Instagram posts or announcements, just to drive home the fact that we’re in school to learn, we’re not in school to be on phones,” Waters said. “If (this campaign) helps, I’m all for it.”

Waters added that he and the rest of the school board plan to lead by example. This past Tuesday, he said all members used Yondr pouches to lock up their own phones for the duration of the board meeting.

“Come next Tuesday and you’ll see us put them away again,” Waters said.

Below are Marietta City Schools' definitions of words used by Gen Z students and a guide for teachers on how to use them:

Rizz: Charisma or charm

Brat: Bold or rebellious

NPC: Non-Playable Character; someone who is seen as going through the motions without much personality.

Skull Emoji: Used to express something extremely funny or cringey.

Cap: Lie or falsehood. (“No cap” means “no lie” or “for real.”)

Bet: Agreement or affirmation. (“Bet” is like saying “okay” or “sure.”)

Flex: To show off.

Slay: To do something exceptionally well or look amazing.

Vibe: A feeling or atmosphere. (“Good vibes” means a positive feeling or atmosphere.)

Glow up: An impressive transformation, often in appearance or confidence.

Aura Points: Imaginary points earned for positive actions or behavior, enhancing one’s presence or vibe.

Approach the student with a smile and say something like, “Hey, that phone out is giving major NPC vibes. (Skull emoji)” (please say “skull emoji” out loud… you will not regret it)If they look confused, follow up with, “You know, you’ve got way more rizz when you’re focused in class.”Try a different approach: “Bet you can’t survive the class without your phone.”Offer a challenge: “No cap; if you put your phone away, you’ll flex your focus skills.”Encourage participation: “Slay this class by staying focused and phone-free.”Highlight the benefits: “Feel the good vibes when you focus without phone distractions.”Mention rewards: “Gain some serious aura points by putting your phone away and being present.”Reiterate the point by saying, “We’ll stop being cringe when you put your phone away.”