Over the course of the year, the Orchard Park Central School District has made progress in encouraging students to live in the moment and socialize with peers. The school mandated Yondr pouches to comply with New York State’s Distraction-free Schools law.
Surprisingly, many students have cooperated and are finding new ways to hang out with friends, rather than be glued to distracting cellular devices. And they are beating boredom by bringing back an old trend. After students brought UNO and other fun card games to school, they have now started bringing Hacky Sacks and are finding groups of friends to pass the bag to.
Hacky Sack works by using any part of your body to keep a small ball in the air without the use of hands, so it usually requires multiple people in a small circle to keep the ball up. This game has become widely popular in Orchard Park and the surrounding school districts. Students can be seen playing in the classroom, during lunch, after school, or even before practice starts at the end of the day.
The trend initially began as a result of a physical therapy workout that was created to heal or exercise an injured knee. Yet it became wildly popular around the country in the 1980s and 1990s.
Hacky Sack has many pros, allowing students to interact with each other instead of doomscrolling or privately listening to music. It also allows students to be more active, providing opportunities for improving balance, dexterity, and reflexes. Though the game was originally intended as a physical therapy exercise, it even acts as a mental break during the day in between stressful or boring classes.
Even though Hacky Sack has brought students together, some would say a con is the distraction it may cause in some classrooms. Classes that focus mainly on project-based learning may suffer because students have to use their time wisely to get their work done and, instead, use it to play Hacky Sack with friends. It can also become a distraction to other students who are trying to get their work done. Playing Hacky Sack could potentially damage equipment or technology in classrooms if the ball flies outside of the circle or if students accidentally kick something in an attempt to keep the game alive.
Even though there are both pros and cons to this game in the school setting, it seems like the game is bringing more fun and positive feedback, as there have been no major issues in the last few weeks.
Mrs. Birtch, a Business teacher at Orchard Park High School, allows students to play Hacky Sack during certain parts of the day, “as long as all the work is done and it’s not a distraction to other people.”
Many students in classrooms where the game is played don’t seem to mind when other students are in their Hacky Sack circles, and it’s a fun way to get outside and enjoy the fresh air after school lets out for the day.
“They are not disrupting any class time, and it’s also a good way to get your mind off of class,” said Chloe Vitko-Woods, a junior who sees Hacky Sack being played within the classroom.
Overall, the hacky sack trend seems to be a good opportunity for social connection during school hours without too much disruption. Will the trend last or will it be gone by fall?
