Posted on March 14, 2013.
By Thomas Sellers Jr.
From left Rachel Higgins, Brian Oswalt, Cristi Huffman and Sherrie Yarbo were driving forces behind getting two universal workout rooms in Brighton High School to benefit student and faculty health.
Room 409 started the buzz at Brighton High School last school year.
Then the physical education class ran by Max Griffith for mostly girls sparked interest from boys and even faculty at the school. Baseball Head Coach Brian Oswalt heard the demands and approached Brighton High School Principal Christi Huffman to undergo the same process that transformed Room 409 into a cardiovascular showcase.
With grants from Student Health and Delta Case programs and donations from ATC Fitness, the staff of BHS were able to transform an old storage area across the hall form Oswalt’s office into a miniature ATC.
“This has been a great team effort,” Oswalt said. “All the coaches have been on board even painting the room. The grants have allowed us to create an envirnoment friendly for both girls and boys who don’t want to be around all that old equipment.”
Before the two rooms featuring equipment worth more than $10,000 opened, Brighton physical education students had to workout with football type machines and weights in the fieldhouse.
The programs that provided the grants wanted to target students after a study that were in danger of diabetes because of their body mass index. The screening studied their blood pressure, blood sugar and weight.
Student Health Director Sherrie Yarbo said the reached showed a need for a class featuring cardio education and equipment that encourages fat burn. Griffith’s class targeted females in Room 409 with cattle bell weights, work stations and room for classes like Zumba.
In the room across from Oswalt donations from ATC Fitness provides students with a chance to use bikes, ellipticals, punching bags and medicine balls. There are also rack stations for those looking for a heavier workout.
Griffith, Oswalt and fellow coaches are instructing students and also using the equipment. Delta Case Manager Rachel Higgins said it’s great to see the two rooms sparking healthy ways for the faculty and students.
In the latest room, TVs are hooked up for class time for programs like Insanity and P90X. And on those days were the students can work on their separate programs, surround sound high-engergy music can be played.
“Every period is getting used to it,” Oswalt concluded. “More kids are getting healthy with their workouts. It’s good to see and we have to thank everyone involved who made it possible. It’s really a team effort.”
