Planet Fitness High School Summer Pass Program [Beuzz]

With mental health at the forefront of so much discussion, especially as it relates to high school and college students, and more so due to pandemic-related struggles, a fitness franchise has created an opportunity for teens to take care of their physique. and mental health with free access to facilities.

Just announced this week, Planet Fitness is launching its “High School Summer Pass” program which will offer free access to high school students aged 14-19 between May 16 and August 31.

In a May 2 press release, Planet Fitness, citing that they have more members than any other fitness brand, and currently identified as one of the largest and fastest growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers faster, want high schools to be able to be active at their locations at no cost.

A article published in the New York Times in December discussed some of the recent trends in general adolescent mental health issues, and then more specifically issues related to the pandemic.

Globally, symptoms of anxiety and depression have doubled during the pandemic, the report notes. But mental health issues were already on the rise in the United States, with emergency room visits related to depression, anxiety and similar conditions rising 28% between 2011 and 2015.

Planet Fitness echoed these concerns, sharing the results of a study that indicated that 92% of teens agree that regular physical activity helps them feel much better mentally. Planet Fitness cited the Journal of the American Medical Association Network Open study that showed less than 15% of teens were meeting the 60-minute daily physical activity recommendation during the pandemic. Complete results of the study commissioned by Planet Fitness can be found here.

High School Summer Pass Logistics

The official start date for the program is Monday, May 16, but pre-registration is ongoing now on their site or onsite at a PF location. Remember, teens under 18 must register with a parent or guardian.

Once registered, participants will not only have access to the gym, but also to workout videos developed by certified trainers and downloadable workouts covering all fitness levels. These features will be available on the Planet Fitness app and website starting 5/16.

Participants can register at any PF location in the United States, but must then only train at a specific location. Parents and/or guardians are not required to be onsite during workouts, as long as participants under the age of 18 have had their parent/guardian sign the waiver upon registration.

Planet Fitness Scholarship Opportunity

Additionally, each participant who enrolls in the program is entered into the Planet Fitness High School Summer Pass Sweepstakes to be considered for a $500 scholarship to be awarded in each state, and a grand prize $5,000 scholarship at the end of the summer. Scholarships must be used for academic or athletic activities or programs.

This is not the first time that Planet Fitness has launched a program along these lines. In 2019, Teen Summer Challenge was implemented and over 900,000 teens registered and over 5.5 million workouts were recorded during this time.