“One of the most important lessons that we learned from the pandemic is just how critical the outdoors can be to our mental and physical well-being. For many kids, the closest outdoor space is not a national or urban park, but the spaces right outside their classroom doors. ”

— U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.)

Last Thursday, October 6, 2022, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) held a press conference at Enos Garcia Elementary School in Taos, New Mexico to announce the Living Schoolyards Act of 2022, recently introduced in the U.S. Senate. Green Schoolyards America’s staff was honored to take part in the event.

After touring the schoolyard Senator Heinrich praised the outdoor learning program at Enos Garcia and said, “this is something that we can learn from and that should be done on a much broader scale around the country.”

This new legislation will enable schools to completely re-envision their outdoor spaces on school grounds with the goal of providing more hands-on learning opportunities, strengthening local ecological systems, and giving every child a place where they can learn and play outside.

“America’s public school grounds cover an estimated 2 million acres and play a central role in children’s daily lives. Greening school grounds by removing asphalt and adding trees is a cost effective way to directly protect students from the effects of extreme heat due to climate change,” said Sharon Danks, CEO and founder of Green Schoolyards America. “We applaud Senator Heinrich’s leadership on this groundbreaking legislation.”

“The Living Schoolyards Act will help schools develop outdoor learning environments that introduce more kids to new experiences on their journey to academic success.”

— U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.)

Read the Full Press Release