New Hampshire High School Students Can Work Out For Free, Win Scholarships

HAMPTON, NH — A New Hampshire fitness company is inviting teenagers in the Granite State and nationally to work out, for free, during the summer months.

Planet Fitness has re-launched its High School Summer Pass for students aged 14 to 19, who will be allowed to work out for free between May 16 and Aug. 31. The program was originally launched in 2019 as the Teen Summer Challenge — an effort to get young people to exercise more, which saw about 900,000 teenagers sign up to participate.

The company is also offering a $5,000 scholarship and $500 scholarship for each state at the end of the summer. The scholarships can be used for either academic or athletic activities or programs.

“As the leader in fitness, we believe we have a responsibility to provide a welcoming, safe, and Judgement Free environment for high school students to improve their physical and mental wellness, particularly given the challenges they have and continue to face in the wake of the pandemic,” Chris Rondeau, the chief executive officer of Planet Fitness, said. “Fitness is about feeling good, too, and our hope is that High School Summer Pass empowers teens to create life-long workout habits to help them succeed in every aspect of their lives.”

Rondeau said a recent company study found that 92 percent of high school students agreed that when they were regularly physically active, they felt much better, mentally.

Planet Fitness has locations in the following Patch communities: Concord, Londonderry, Manchester, Merrimack, Nashua, Portsmouth, and Salem. Other locations in New Hampshire include Belmont, Derry, Goffstown, Keene, Lee, Plaistow, Rochester, and Stratham.

Students who are 18 or 19 can sign up on their own at this link. Students 14 to 17 must register with a parent at their local location or online.

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