Last year, students in grades six, seven and eight could hear the fun squeal of younger children playing outside and enjoying recess — while they were stuck indoors at their desks. 

This school year, that has changed. Now, students in those upper grades at East Rock Community & Cultural Magnet School have recess, too! But not every day. 

Still, now you can hear the East Rock Cheer Team saying, “Smile on Lips, Hands on Hips!” You can see made-up tag games like Battleship Tag and Zombie Tag — and even football — happening on the field next to the school. It’s also a time that people can lay on the grass and chill or lean against the fence. 

Thanks to a campaign led by Tusker Pickett, Haven Pickett, Charlotte Martinez, Charlie Pellegrino, Sam Pellegrino, Christina Aviles and Kevelyn Tong, older students finally get recess. Many said it makes a big difference to have this time built into their daily schedule.  

“Before we had recess, our days were boring,” said Elias Plascencia, in 8th grade. “We had too much energy and no way to get it out on days when we didn’t have gym.” 

The eight students who campaigned for recess called themselves the Middle School Organization for Recess. According to Haven Pickett, the group was “super amped up” that sixth grade students did not have recess, so they wanted to make a change. 

Shortly after getting the idea to campaign for recess, the number of interested students grew, Mr. Pickett said. Some group members then created a slideshow about the physical and mental health benefits of recess. For example, one slide in the students’ presentation argued that, “Recess boosts cognitive function and physical endurance.”  

The student group presented their campaign to their sixth grade peers and staff. Principal Sabrina Breland, a former college basketball player and coach, liked the idea and approved the plan to add recess for students in grades 6-8.  

“As I thought over it, I realized that recess would be a good opportunity for students to settle and relax,” Ms. Breland said. 

At first, some teachers were nervous about the idea. Even Principal Breland was concerned, but decided that it would be a good opportunity for students to “settle and relax.” 

Garrett Griffin, who teaches sixth grade, told East Rock Record reporters that the students campaigning for recess “came on strong.”  

There are a range of behaviors in the older grades, Mr. Griffin explained, which made him worry that some students might get too rambunctious during recess time.

“I was horrified when I first found out that the students would have recess,” Mr. Griffin said. “It was an unstructured time. I’m always very nervous about unstructured time at school, because a lot of things can go wrong.” 

Now, however, Mr. Griffin has warmed up to the idea of recess for older grades. He told East Rock Record reporters that recess is a good opportunity for students to release their energy and have a technology break. 

“Having recess motivates the students,” Mr. Griffin said. “After recess, students are less antsy, because they release their pent up energy while playing outside.” 

For John Kennedy, who has taught for 17 years at East Rock School, seventh and eighth graders have never had recess. While he was initially “skeptical about how useful it would be,” he now realizes that it is a good chance for students to have a break in the middle of their school day.  

“Recess benefits both me and the students, because it gives us an opportunity to kind of get to know each other in a different way,” Mr. Kennedy told East Rock Record reporters. “One of the most important things about my job is not the math that I teach, but it’s the relationships that I form and the bonds I have with the kids that I teach. And this time helps with that.” 

Students were excited by the introduction of recess. 

“I had a good reaction to us having recess, and I think the whole class did, too,” Sahil Lemar, an eighth grade student, told East Rock Record reporters. 

In the end, both students and teachers seem to agree that recess for upper grades is a good idea. Among these benefits, both point out that recess lets students spend more time outside during the school day. 

Mr. Griffin said he is happy that students have been able to get out more and get more fresh air. Specifically, he noted that it provided a chance for inter-grade bonding. 

“One of the things I love about recess is when the older students support the younger students. 

Sometimes the sixth graders will work with the first graders. They’re collaborating, they’re playing together. When I see them working in harmony, it makes me feel good,” Mr. Griffin said. 

“It’s a very good experience because it’s right in the middle of the day, and I like being able to go outside,” said Mr. Lemar. “We used to have to stay in the building all day.” 

Laura Lake, who teaches social studies to students in seventh and eighth grades, said that time outside is specifically useful in getting older students away from screens. And, she said, it also allows students a useful pause. “I do think it’s slightly calmer in the afternoon, because they are able to have that outlet,” she said.  “It’s a nice little break in the middle of the day for them.” 

Recess also gives teachers a break, said Mr. Kennedy. He, too, likes being able to walk around and get fresh air during the scheduled recess time. Mr. Kennedy also said that recess is a good time for him to talk and bond with students in a more casual setting. 

“It gives me an opportunity to kind of get to know the kids in a different way,” he said. “One of the most important things about my job is not the math that I teach, but it’s the relationships that I form and the bonds I have with the kids that I teach. And this time helps with that.”  

London Ingram, a sixth grader, told East Rock Record reporters that she uses recess to socialize. She said it is the only period during the school day where she has time to see her friends and develop deeper relationships and build her social skills. 

East Rock Record reporters investigated how some other sixth, seventh and eighth grade students spend their recess time. 

When she has recess duty, Ms. Lake sees students use the free time in different ways. She has noticed that girls often walk around the field and talk. Some practice cheerleading. According to Ms. Lake, boys often organize football and basketball games. 

Mr. Griffin said recess impacts students in a positive way by motivating them and helping them release their energy so they can then better focus in class. A 2018 Voice of Play survey about recess by a trade group, the International Play Equipment Manufacturer’s Association, found that 95 percent of teachers said students’ social interactions improved when they played together outside at recess. 

According to the East Rock Record Fall/Winter 2024 Survey, 75 percent of students who responded agreed that recess was “important.” Almost 62 percent said that it was “easier to focus” on school after recess and nearly 58 percent said recess helped them do better in school. 

“It’s definitely easier to focus after recess,” said London Ingram, in sixth grade. “It’s like a good brain break.” Mr. Lemar agreed: “I think it does help me focus in the classroom.” 

Recess gives students important, unstructured time to run around or throw a ball, said Mr. Kennedy. “Middle school is a difficult time for adolescents,” he said, adding that “they may not know how to deal with a lot of things that are going on.” Recess, he said, lets them release energy and take a break.