As summer approaches, Mountlake Terrace is once again going to be facing a large spike of heat. Due to the increasing temperatures, there are many topics the community will have to address to prevent distraction and serious health concerns at school. Will classrooms be able to handle this heat? Can students continue working in extreme summer weather, and can outdoor student sports continue to thrive under these circumstances?
Many students and teachers around Terrace have been commenting on the encroaching sunny weather, and there is a large variety of emotions students have been expressing in regards to this change.
While many have been expressing their excitement over the idea of sunny skies, others are worried about spending the rest of this school year stuck inside overheated classrooms. In a study by Pubmed National Library of Medicine, they tested cognitive brain function between two test groups, and found that the ones working in air conditioned environments had not only a higher reaction time, but were believed to have been more productive.
If we think of this scenario as, instead of a hot and cold building, as classrooms in the hotter and cooler portions of the year, then we can see how this data also shows that students may be less productive in the summer.The late spring is also when many finals and AP tests take place, which in many cases can alter a student’s grade by an entire letter. To counter these effects, the school can focus on improving the ventilation and cooling systems.
Otherwise, a repeat of these tests could occur which would result in students not being able to show their best work in school.
In addition to the physical effects that may harm students in the classroom, there is also the distraction caused by dealing with the heat. Multiple classrooms at Terrace have fans running when it’s too hot in the classroom, which typically creates a loud sound.
Whether teachers are trying to give a lecture or students are trying to focus on their work, this sound can be distracting and possibly keep students from being able to focus. Some students benefit from that sort of white noise, although it still can make it hard to hear the instructor.
During individual work time, many students may listen to music to try and drown this out, but some teachers do not allow music in class. Improved ventilation and cooling could solve this issue as well, by removing the teacher’s needs for fans.
Improved ventilation and cooling could solve this issue as well, by removing the need for fans.
Mountlake Terrace High School has many notable outdoor spring sports such as their track team, though they might face issues due to the incoming weather forecasts.
On one hand, increased sun will ensure less rain and other possible benefits, still, increased sun could lead to health risks such as sunburns and possibly even heat stroke with prolonged exposure. Because sports are not only important for physical but emotional health for a lot of students, the positives greatly outweigh the negatives caused by the sun.
In turn, to avoid these potential problems, it would be best to make sure spring sports allocate time in the shade, and that the students make sure to wear sunscreen to protect from burns and hydrate frequently.
Overall, the increase in heat this year, not just from season to season, but also the growing heat caused by global warming, is causing many new problems to be brought to the surface. Terrace, as well as the even larger surrounding communities, are slowly becoming accustomed to the new norm, but the climate issues are still growing exponentially and must be seriously addressed before they reach an irredeemable point.
