How to Save Outdoor Recess

Elementary schools across America are cancelling outdoor play due to extreme heat, affecting nearly 200,000 kids in Chicago alone. To keep playgrounds open in dangerous heat, schools could install shade structures, but such solutions can cost up to $95,000. Schools often lack funding for these projects, with the American Academy of Dermatology offering a grant of only $8,000 which has been availed by only four institutions. In less affluent areas, lack of shade on school playgrounds is glaring.