Planet Fitness' "Summer Pass" allows teenagers to go to the gym for free to improve their health

JACKSON, TENN (WNBJ)-

It's almost summer break, and during the summer, teens often struggle to keep themselves health both physically and mentally. For the last three years, Planet Fitness has allowed teenagers to work out for free during the summer, but why? "We found out that 63% of teens struggle with mental health, and 61% of teens struggle with staying active, so we came up with the high school summer pass to kind of help those statistics along to kind of minimize those," said Aubrey Simpson of Planet Fitness. Sandi Castaenda is one of the teens who has taken advantage of the free summer pass, "I've been working with my legs and like it's like a stress reliever, like get off, i go before work because after work I’m tired, so I go before. Me and my friends would come up here, and we just work out. But it's like nothing serious, but it's like something to do. It keeps me motivated," she said. And Aubrey Simpson of Planet Fitness points out that working out provides teens with plenty of benefits, "What we found out is 93% of teens feel like leading an active lifestyle helps them into their adulthood years. And for those who struggle with, like mental health and physical foot, physical fatigue and things of that nature, we found out that it helps them cope with it better as they get older." Sandi has seen a boost in her mental health, "Yes. Actually, I have like, come in here and listen to music and just by yourself getting in your mode." Teens will also have the opportunity this summer to get more than just healthy, "Planet Fitness will award five 10,000 scholarships five $10,000 scholarships to five teens across the u.s. who tell the benefits of or tell what high school summer pass did for them through TikTok.... But then also what Planet Fitness is doing this year is they are awarding five high schools across the country with a $10,000 scholarship," Simpson said. The high schools with the most participation in the summer pass program will win the scholarships, "Towards athletic department, mental health and wellness, physical education. Any of those departments will be awarded that renovations, They'll be awarded that $10,000 to do with as they please," Simpson said. Sandi is already getting her friends involved, "I was telling them about it and everything they said they was, so hopefully they will," she said. For more information on the free teen summer pass or to sign up, you can go to planetfitness.com/summerpass