Buff birds: New weight room debuts at CHS

After nearly a full school year of effort, the new weight room at Carrington Public School (CPS) is open for use.

The idea for the new weight room took shape this past summer, almost as soon as Superintendent Janelle Helm and High School Principal Connor Weber first came to work at CPS. Parents, coaches and students approached them about the need, and The C-Club and Boosters donated funds for two new squat racks and benches, a cost of $10,300.

Upon recommendation from Helm, the school board agreed in September to allocate the $30,840.52 available in the 2022-23 budget to the student activities account for additional upgrades to the weight room.

The room got a new coat of paint this winter, and a Cardinal mural was painted by the students.

The new equipment began arriving in late March, and the Carrington school board had the opportunity to tour the weight room during their April 12 meeting.

"It's been highly sought out, highly talked about since we got it," Weber said of the new equipment. "I've been smiling pretty much ear to ear. I go down there at least once a day just because."

Mrs. Griffin is teaching a zero hour weightlifting class for the fourth quarter. There are 12 students enrolled in that program. The class is already on the schedule for the 2023-24 school year, as well as a seventh hour weight training class with Mr. Kerbaugh. The room will also be available for other classes to use throughout the day. Weber noted that some special education students have used the treadmill and bike during their physical education period.

Local physical therapist Kyle Smith will be running his Sports Acceleration program in the school this summer. There will be three sessions per day, four days per week, and the weight room will be open during that time. There were 60 kids in the program last time Smith ran it, according to Weber.

"Kids in here all the time, that's the goal," Weber concluded.