Recess vital
The state of Hawaii requires its elementary schools to allocate only 20 minutes of recess for its students. I think this short span of time is not enough to promote the optimal development of these students, whether it is cognitively, emotionally, physically or socially.
Recess is a time where students can decompress from the academic rigors of the classroom. Having recess has been proven to be beneficial because students are then able to be more attentive and perform better cognitively. Recess also is a time where they have the opportunity to engage in activities through “free play.”
Free play is unstructured and child-initiated and also is beneficial to healthy development. This form of play allows children to learn naturally and develop important skills. Free play provides students with the opportunities to work collaboratively with their peers, learn self-advocacy skills, rely on their own abilities, build confidence and independence, practice decision-making, discover areas of interest on their own, build creativity and imagination, and so much more.
Recess also is a time when students can engage in physical activity that allows them to remain healthy. Lack of physical activity is one of the reasons we have obesity and increasing poor health in childhood.
Breaks during school should not be seen as an “escape” from education. If anything, they should be seen as a necessary part of school and vital for the healthy development of students.
K. Santos
Hilo
Compliance urged
Dear Mayor Harry Kim: You are to be commended for instigating the county address law in 2004. The Dana Ireland tragedy showed us the need for such a law.
I am writing you to see if steps can be taken to increase compliance. Driving around, I find a small number of properties properly addressed. This includes commercial and industrial businesses, some of those being built only recently. It would be beneficial to tourists as well as those who deliver.
The local real estate board, Hawaii Island Realtors, has a committee working on this issue, and they will be happy to share their ideas to encourage the public to comply with the law.
Hopefully, there will be some efforts to enforce the law before you leave office. You deserve the credit.
Jerry E. Bragdon
Mountain View
