Recess: the time when entrepreneurs first found their calling by selling bark soup, athletes discovered their passions as they dominated foursquare and tetherball, and parents prepared for their future children during in-depth games of “house.” Playgrounds are the birthplaces of passion and joy, so why have we put an age limit on them?

I remember my first day of middle school when I realized that recess was gone: forever just out of reach. It was as if my childlike joy was drained from my being. I won’t stand for this injustice any longer. Recess should be brought back to Liberty for the sake of its students.

Not only is recess fun, but it would be a great way to get students to be active every day. We only have to take PE for 3 semesters, and sports are optional, so lots of students aren’t physically active most days. Integrating recess into the schedule would change that and set aside time for students to get their energy out.

It would also be set aside time to simply relax. High school students are constantly swamped with homework and often don’t have time to just exist without doing some sort of assignment.

Being able to spend time having fun with friends during the school day could significantly improve the social and emotional health of students.

Plus, whose great idea was it to make recess taboo for anyone over twelve? The adults that tell kids they grow up too fast are the same ones who deprive them of playgrounds.

I understand that finding time to fit recess into our schedules would be hard, but we already changed our schedules pretty drastically with flex time two years ago and again this year.

In fact, there should be an option during flex time to sign up for recess outside. That way, people would have the option to go hang out with friends, touch some grass, and have fun.

But we can’t stop there. Recess isn’t recess without play structures; I’m talking swingsets, slides, the whole shebang. Imagine having a slide on our huge hill by the field. I don’t know how building all that would work, but if our elementary schools all did it, so can Liberty. 

It’ll all be worth it because, in the words of English teacher Julie Larsen, “recess is the bomb-diggity.”