Physical Education teacher Nancy Hopkins hopes to encourage students to get fit and increase enrollment in P.E. classes with the creation of a new individual fitness class this year.  Hopkins has been hard at work turning what used to be an athletic storage room into a cardio room.   

“I wanted to bring cardio fitness into the curriculum, and I felt that it needed to be done,” Hopkins said.

While there are already two individual fitness classes being held in this room, Hopkins still needs around $75,000 to complete the space.  To acquire the funds, she asked the parents of former volleyball players for donations and, according to Hopkins, everyone has given something.  Lately, she has been writing to celebrities asking for signed memorabilia which she hopes to auction off this winter. Hopkins already has around 300 items, and more come every day.   

In the future, Hopkins plans to have a section for ab work, add on to the number of spin bikes and treadmills along with flat-screen TVs on the walls.

“[The class] is laid back and there isn’t any pressure,” sophomore Alex Hoopes said. 

Once the room is finished, individual fitness students like Paige won’t be the only people who get to use the space in their free time. Hopkins plans to make the cardio room available to “the entire Free-State community.”