Over the summer, the CHS fitness class gives opportunities for students to participate in strength and conditioning. Throughout many years, the attendance of students during the school day is a lot greater than the number of students who attend fit class during the summer. Many students either can't or don't come for various reasons.
“I’d say that I like a lot of independence when I lift, and I've heard that you have to do what they tell you to do when you're there and I don't really like that,” sophomore Charles Getty said.
Some students go to summer lifts for their sports and to keep in shape for their upcoming seasons, while others go for something to do. But a common trend among the student population is not being in the same lifts with your friends.
“I don’t like going to summer lifts because I’m not always able to be with my friends because they all do different sports then me and when I do go I don’t like lifting with people I don’t usually talk to,” sophomore Alyssa O’Rourke said.
Some don't go to lifts because they don’t have friends to help motivate them to come. Many said they would be more likely to come to the lifts if they had friends. Physical education teacher Adam Taylor tries his best to make high schoolers come; he wants people to talk to him if they want to be moved, and he will move them per request.
“I usually just go with my friends and I get to hang out with them a little bit while also keeping up my strength over the summer, and it's just some work and physical activity that I wouldn’t usually get,” junior Solana Samek said.
The purpose of the summer lifts is for students to stay physically active and get stronger throughout the summer. Some students don't want to attend even with the benefits that come from these lifts.
“I think some people don't come to lifts due to not knowing the times, not being a fan of time slots, or maybe prefer doing something not in a group setting,” Taylor said.
Many students get jobs in the summer, which can make it harder to come to the lifts. Lifts are only in the morning, and for students working in the morning, this makes it so they aren’t able to come.
“I mean, it seems like a cool thing that AT does but I don't really want to wake up and go do that. I'd rather just go to work,” junior Tristan Fern said.
Many students work over the summer, which can make it hard when lifts and work overlap. Although students have priorities. Taylor plans his mornings around helping kids benefit themselves. He tries to make the weight room as welcoming as possible and make the time slots as convenient as he can.
“The reason people should come is because it's free, it's early so you have the entire day left over after, you can be with your friends, and it's a positively competitive environment,” Taylor said.
