Planet Fitness, one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers with more members than any other fitness brand, announces the return of its High School Summer Pass™ program, inviting high schoolers ages 14 – 191 to work out for free at any Planet Fitness location including across Houston from May 15 through August 31. Starting today, high schoolers can visit PlanetFitness.com/SummerPass to register for the program before gaining club access starting Monday, May 15. Teens under 18 in the U.S. and under 19 in Canada must register with a parent or guardian online or in-club.

PROVIDING ACCESS IS ESSENTIAL

In its third year, High School Summer Pass continues to offer high schoolers a way to stay active during the summer months in a fun, safe, and Judgement Free environment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), youth up to 17 years of age should get a recommended average of at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity to boost their physical and mental health2.

Furthermore, in 2021, The Youth Risk Behavior Survey commissioned by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 29 percent of high school students experienced poor mental health, a steady biannual increase since the survey was first fielded in 20113, demonstrating that youth today consistently – and increasingly – face mental health struggles.

In Texas, 21% of teens are obese, which is another reason this initiative is so vital to their wellbeing.

Launching during Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States, High School Summer Pass allows teens the opportunity to prioritize their mental and physical wellness goals during a critical time when school is out and important academic and extracurricular programs such as sports, gym class and after-school activities are in recess. Research also shows that students who complete the recommended amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity experienced greater academic achievement compared to those who did not4. Last year, Planet Fitness’ High School Summer Pass program motivated 3.5 million high school-aged students to prioritize their health who completed 17 million workouts at Planet Fitness over a three-and-a-half-month period.

“At Planet Fitness, it’s our continued mission as the leader in fitness to provide high school students free access to our more than 2,400 locations in the U.S. and Canada to start and stick with a health and fitness journey. Research shows that teens are struggling with overall wellness, and this is one of the many reasons why the High School Summer Pass program is so important,” said Chris Rondeau, Chief Executive Officer at Planet Fitness. “Having joined the gym for the first time when I was 16, I know firsthand the benefits exercise has had on my life, so we look forward to helping teens create lifelong habits in the Judgement Free Zone® this summer.”

SCHOOL AND STUDENT REWARDS

To further motivate high schoolers to prioritize fitness, all participants who sign up are encouraged to enter the Planet Fitness High School Summer Pass Contest5. Planet Fitness will award five lucky teens in the U.S. with $10,000 individual academic scholarships via a TikTok video submission contest. To enter, teens are asked to post a TikTok video tagging @planetfitness using the hashtags #contest and #HSSP23US that describes their High School Summer Pass experience. The contest submission period runs through August 31.

Additionally, the top five schools on the U.S. Leaderboard in each tier (as described in the rules) will each receive $10,000! These scholarships can be used to fund athletic equipment, field renovations, physical fitness classes and health and wellness initiatives.

OVERCOMING MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES WITH FITNESS

To understand what is important among high schoolers today and to better support them over the summer, Planet Fitness commissioned a national study6 which found 61 percent of teens face mental health struggles and 93 percent of teens appreciate how fitness can positively impact their lives and lead to healthier lifestyles into adulthood.

Key findings include:

• Mental Health Stress Test. Close to three in four (73 percent) parents report they are concerned about their teen’s mental health struggles. Similarly, they also worry about their child’s stress levels (76 percent), mood (72 percent) and self -confidence (72 percent).
• Setting a Good (Exercise) Example. Parents recognize that their teens simply may not have the right guidance when it comes to working out. In fact, 83 percent of parents wish they could set a better example for their teens about working out and exercising.
• Teen Motivation is High. Teens are looking to make positive, healthy changes in their lives, like improving their mental (91 percent) and physical (89 percent) health. Three in four (75 percent) are ready and willing to get into the gym and start working out.
• Screen Stare. A majority of teens report that they spend up to four hours a day playing video games (84 percent), watching TV (84 percent), on social media (80 percent) or text messaging (82 percent).
• Low Energy Drain. Two in three (66 percent) teens admit they sometimes struggle with having energy throughout the day, while 61 percent generally struggle to stay energized. However, teens who do stay physically active say working out makes them more energetic, helps them have more energy for the day and keeps them focused and more productive.

All High School Summer Pass participants will have access to free fitness training from in-club certified trainers7, free workouts designed specifically for high schoolers in the free Planet Fitness App as well as workout plans available at PlanetFitness.com/SummerPass.

For more information on High School Summer Pass, including how to sign up for the free membership at any Planet Fitness location in Houston, visit PlanetFitness.com/SummerPass.