Some of my greatest childhood memories came from recess.  Playing on the playground in kindergarten, jump rope in third grade and soccer in fifth grade, just being with your friends at recess and not having to worry about school made the day go by a little easier.

Luckily for me, I went to a private school during middle school, and we still had recess until the end of eighth grade.  In the North Kansas City School District, middle schools and high schools do not have any sort of recess time set aside during the day for students to relax during their stressful school day.

According to The American Academy of Pediatrics, “Recess is a crucial and necessary component of a child’s development and, as such, it should not be withheld for punitive or academic reasons.”

Although some high school students are legal adults, many are still in a state where they are maturing. High school is a time where you find who you are, and students are less likely to meet those people unless they happen to get put in the same class as those people.

Youth radio reporter Eli Abreton studied a high school in Vermont that changed its whole schedule to allow a period for recess.  Students said that with the break they were able to focus better as a result of the change.

We have Falcon Time, which some see as a recess, but we are still forced to be in a classroom and are supposed to work on homework while a teacher reteaches.  If students were able to have more free reign they would be able to let go and stop thinking about school for 10 to 15 minutes, and as a result students wouldn’t stress over school and assignments.

Falcon Time could possibly be used more as a recess.  The gym could be open for students to play basketball or volleyball.  We could also open up the great hall for students to sit with their friends rather than being forced to be quiet in a classroom.  Students should also be able to go outside and get fresh air around the pond or the art rooms.