More Than 3 Million High School Students Signed Up For Planet Fitness’ ‘High School Summer Pass’ Program and Put Fitness First This Summer
Posted: September 20, 2023 in Chains
Planet Fitness
HAMPTON, N.H. – Planet Fitness, one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers with more members than any other fitness brand, announces that more than 3 million high school students signed up for its High School Summer Pass initiative this year. Teen participants in the program, which just wrapped its third year, logged 14.5 million workouts during a span of three-and-a-half months. High School Summer Pass ran from May 15 – August 31 and invited high schoolers aged 14 to 19 to join and work out for free at any of Planet Fitness’ 2,400+ locations across the United States and Canada.
A recent study conducted by the University of Georgia highlights a concerning statistic—75 percent of teens are not getting the recommended amount of daily exercise[1]. This reality underscores the importance of Planet Fitness’ High School Summer Pass program, a critical solution during the summer months when many students don’t have access to regular sports or fitness programs. Thankfully, 93 percent of participating teens noted that the High School Summer Pass program will help them create long-lasting health and wellness habits[2].
“The ongoing success of our High School Summer Pass program reinforces that not only are teens looking for a place to work out, but they are seeing the long-term benefits of starting a fitness routine at a young age,” said Chris Rondeau, chief executive officer at Planet Fitness. “We’re proud that we welcomed more than 3 million teens into the Judgement Free Zone® this summer, completing more than 14.5 million workouts, and helped them start and stick with their fitness journeys for years to come.”
In a survey2 of more than 10,000 High School Summer Pass teen participants and their parents, Planet Fitness uncovered the impact of the summer program:
- Happy + Healthier: 87 percent of participating teens saw their mental health improve since signing up for the program.
- Energy + Mood Booster: 88 percent of teens noted an increase in their energy levels since signing up for the program, with 75 percent feeling happier and an improvement in their overall mood after working out at Planet Fitness.
- A Summer Well Spent: 81 percent of parents confess their teens would have had a less productive summer and would not have been as physically active (77 percent) without High School Summer Pass.
- Family Inspiration: 84 percent of parents said seeing their teen exercise has inspired other family members to get more physically active.
“Throughout my entire life, I have always struggled with my weight and self-esteem,” noted Stephany E., who participated in the High School Summer Pass program at her local club in New Jersey. “I don’t remember a time when I didn’t feel embarrassed about my body type. I’ve always wanted to change my lifestyle and attempt to lose weight but I’ve felt insecure about working out with others and in such a public place. Once I heard about the High School Summer Pass that is offered at Planet Fitness, I started to realize that this was an amazing opportunity for me to finally get over whatever fears I have and begin to work on myself. I needed that wakeup call that nobody else was going to change my perspective except for me. I’m grateful that Planet Fitness has helped me begin my workout journey and hopefully a new lifestyle that will stick with me for a long time.”
To further motivate high schoolers to prioritize fitness, all participants who signed up were encouraged to enter the Planet Fitness High School Summer Pass Contest[3]. Planet Fitness will be awarding 10 lucky teens in the U.S. and Canada with $10,000 individual academic scholarships ($100,000 total). Additionally, the top 10 schools on the leaderboard across U.S. and Canada in each tier will each receive $10,000. These scholarships can be used for academic or athletic activities or programs. Winners will be notified this month.
