Snow falling on a school night used to inspire hope in K-12 students. Scores of kids across Colorado would be too excited to fall asleep, perhaps too excited to study for that upcoming test, eagerly anticipating the potential of one of life’s true joys – a snow day.
The potential reward of hot cocoa with marshmallows after helping the neighbor shovel their driveway or building an igloo with their siblings was a right of passage many still remember with fondness and joy.
But, since the pandemic and the addition of e-learning, many students have lost the ability to revel in this childhood wonder.
A study from Education Week found in 2020 that 40 percent of all school districts were burying snow days and replacing them with remote learning. Academy District 20 in Colorado Springs is one of those districts.
Some kids are yelling ‘Humbug!’
Now, when snow falls, no kids in District 20 are going to sleep with their pajamas inside out or flushing ice cubes down the toilet. They know that no matter how much snow falls, students as young as six will still be required to log on to their school-issued laptops – and learn.
Yet, out of the puddles of this melted tradition, a young hero has emerged. Twelve-year-old Emily Beckman has set out to return the joy of snow to her classmates at Discovery Canyon Campus Middle School and beyond by petitioning the district to change its ways and go back to the good ole days.
“Our teacher asked us a question on what the best invention ever was, and I said, ‘It's snow days, but the school's taking them away,’” Emily said, “and a lot of kids said that was unfair, and I'm just like, we should start a protest.” And start one she did.
Her petition on change.org had already garnered more than 2,400 signatures by Friday afternoon.
“I love helping other kids feel joy, especially about little things like snow days… telling kids to go outside and play is good for their imagination and stuff.”
Emily’s demands are well thought out and mindful. She wants the first six snow days of the year, which are already built into the D20 calendar, to remain the traditional way, with classes canceled for all students.
“We are asking for this because we feel like kids should still be kids even though they're teenagers and stuff,” she said. “Plus, it's really hard for middle schoolers and high schoolers to look after their younger elementary siblings when they have to be online learning.”
After those initial six blissful snow days, Emily says she wouldn’t mind if middle and high school students had e-learning days to stay compliant with the number of instructional days required.
She also wants the school district to consider basing its snow days on when the nearby Air Force Academy closes.
“One day the Air Force Academy closed when the school didn't, and I heard my dad talking about that and I'm just like, wait, so the Air Force Academy is closed but the school isn't?” she said. “I'm just like, if it's not safe enough for the military to go there, then how is it safe enough for kids, especially [when] some of them are six years olds?”
Emily’s petition even references a study from the American Academy of Pediatrics in her petition in which experts say unstructured play-time in the natural environment gives kids a boost in confidence and well-being. It’s something she believes wholeheartedly.
“Being outside in general makes me feel amazing, but especially being in the snow because there's a lot more to do,” she said. “You can have snowball fights. It just helps your confidence because you know that there's also some happy little moments where you can just relax and be yourself in the snow.”
Emily’s next goal is to get 5,000 signatures.
