Elementary schoolers buzz with anticipation, swinging their arms and shuffling their feet, as they line up, waiting for the clock to signal their favorite time of the day: recess time. To add to the excitement, a group of spirited high school athletes from Athletic Leadership Council will be joining them outside to play, connect, and enrich the experience.
A few times every school year, the Recess Academy program members will visit elementary schoolers to provide them a more inclusive and fun recess environment.
In a recent visit to Matthew Thornton on Oct. 17, 2025, fourth grader Aubrey and her friend group enjoyed interacting and playing with the older kids because, “it is way more fun and there are more [games and activities] that we can do,” Aubrey said.
In the past, ALC has brought this event to two of the district elementary schools every year, but, this year, they are aiming to visit all three. ALC executive board member, Matt Wolf, will be apart of the program for his second year and sees the important impact it provides students.
“Last year we went to Matthew Thornton and South School,” Wolf said. “We’re trying to go to every elementary school this year to make sure that every student can have this positive experience.”
Not only does this program provide a great experience for the elementary school students, but it teaches the high school volunteers important skills and lessons as well.
“For me, it’s really helped me realize to take a step back and make sure that whatever I’m doing is including everybody and make sure that everyone’s having a good time,” Wolf said.
Being a part of Recess Academy allows for the high school students to gain perspective of an elementary school student, differing from their everyday lives.
“It was good to step out of high school to be a kid for a day,” Wolf said. “It’s [constant] smiling and laughing.”
This program gives elementary school students a look into the life of a high schooler. Even outside of this school bubble, younger kids can continue to build connections with older kids during shared activities.
“I see a lot of kids at the football games too, and for example, they all recognized me from the Recess Academy,” Wolf said. “I feel it just teaches them to play by the rules and I think that is very important.”
Getting to be a part of this program means a lot more than just playing with kids all day, as another Athletic Leadership Council member, Molly Leone, explains “knowing that it means so much to [the kids] makes it even more meaningful,” Leone said. It is a full circle moment for most high schoolers involved. They were once the younger kids receiving and are now the older kids who are giving.
“It’s been going on since I’ve been in elementary school,” Wolf said. “I remember the ALC [students] coming down [to the] elementary school. So it’s been going on for a long time.”
This program spreads inclusivity throughout recesses, which keeps it an ongoing opportunity for both elementary and high school students. Recess Academy mentors are even “excited for future opportunities” to continue these fun activities, Leone said. ALC will continue to spread light to students during recesses throughout the year, building an uplifting environment.
“Just being able to understand how to play certain games and being able to include everybody makes recess overall more enjoyable,” Wolf said.
