Shannon Bucci
Reporter
@SBCourant
During the cold, dark and depressing months of winter it becomes increasingly difficult for NCHS students to muster the energy to be active or involved in a sport or activity. While joining a winter sport at NCHS is an effective way to stay in shape and meet new people, the 
rigorous schedules and time commitments can be a turn-off for students who are looking to reduce stress and feel better through exercise. For these reasons, NCHS students have been drawn to the “teen membership” program at Oxygen Fitness which caters to students’ busy schedules by providing fun and vigorous weekly workouts.
Client services director and general master of Oxygen fitness Cat Alessio originally created the teen membership for high school students to allow teens to become more active through the program, while not interfering with students’ schedules. “We timed the classes as a courtesy to the teens because we know the hours of their school day. We really made an effort to cater to the students’ needs, which is why the classes always start at 3:15,” Ms. Alessio said.
The classes that Oxygen Fitness provides students includes TRX, a suspension training bodyweight exercise, spinning, boxing, and yoga. Junior Kameron Ong has been involved in the teen program at Oxygen Fitness from the beginning of this winter and attends classes regularly. “The program is nice because I did not have time to do winter track this year and it’s something effective to do instead of going outside and running on my own,” she said. “Also, because it’s a set schedule, I know that I’m more likely to go because instead of putting off running or working out.”
Junior Alex Esposito also attends the teen exercise classes as a way to work out in a fun environment with friends. “It’s not a lot of commitment to go to the classes. You can go whenever you want and there’s always a ton of variety. I usually go with a ton of my friends, which makes it a really fun environment,” she said.
The teen membership is not just limited to NCHS students. Teens from Darien, St. Lukes and Saxe Middle School have also taken advantage of the program as a means of staying active and motivated throughout the winter. “The program is also a way for different towns and schools to come together and meet in a noncompetitive environment that’s challenging but still really fun,” junior Casey Gertsen said. “I’ve met a lot of new people since I started going to the classes, and a lot of the time I look forward to seeing these people and my friends at the high school when I go.”
The teen membership has been gaining attention throughout the past two years as more people have joined Oxygen Fitness. “This is the second year that we have offered classes for teens and we do have more girls this year than in the last years,” Ms. Alessio said. “I think we gain recognition by word of mouth; I think a lot of teens talk with their friends and say how much they enjoy their experience and how they advocate for it, which is great.”
