What to know
- Presentation Day/Time: Friday, April 24, 11:45 AM
- Presenter: Duduzile "Phindi" Mashinini, PhD, MS, Global Health Center, Division of Global HIV and TB
TED-Style Talks
Take a moment to think back to your 8-year-old self. For most of us, the best part of school was simple: recess or lunch. But today, those moments are shrinking fast, replaced by tighter schedules and competing academic demands. In many districts, lunch is now so rushed that kids are literally choosing between eating and playing. As schools prioritize instructional time, they’re inadvertently diminishing opportunities for movement, social connection, and basic nourishment.
Up to 40% of school districts have reduced recess since the mid-2000s, and only a handful of states require it at all. The result is a school day that leaves less room for children to be children. These changes don’t just affect memories, they shape nutrition, development, and long-term health.
This talk is a call to bring recess and lunch back to the center of the school day. Because kids need time to eat, move, and connect.