EMMETT, Idaho (CBS2) — Governor Brad Little and fitness legend Jake "Body by Jake" Steinfield cut the ribbon, officially opening the "Don't Quit!" Fitness Center in Emmet Middle School, Tuesday, October 11.
The facility is a state-of-the-art $100,000 fitness center. It's a gift and not a grant, with all money coming from the partners of the National Foundation for Governor's Fitness Councils (NFGFC).
Emmett Middle School was one of three schools in Idaho to win a fitness center. The selection process came in the form of a contest, where schools created videos, showcasing students' fitness efforts.
When looking at a picture of the old fitness center, one can see the upgrade. Principal Debbie Dawson was impressed to see just how different the space was.
"It's really exciting," Dawson said. "You get a chance to see the picture before. This place was kind of dumpy, and now this place is great, just look at it. The kids are excited, they're happy to be here, they're anxious to get up here and start working out."
Students that exercise regularly at the school were also excited to see the new facility.
"It was nothing that I ever thought (would happen)." Brynn Howell, a student at EMS said. "When we heard about it, I was like 'oh yeah, cool new equipment' but when I came up here, it was definitely nothing like I ever imagine that we would have gotten."
Howell won the 2022 All American Girl National Jr. Teen Championship. She said that working out and lifting, of which she powerlifts, was a strong component in aiming for that title.
Another student, Brig Walker, a basketball player for Emmett, noted the wide variety of exercises possible in the reinvented space.
"It was cool to see how many ways you can use it," Walker said. "Instead of just being able to do pullups on the stuff downstairs (other gym area), you can do just about anything."
The center is one of many nationwide, all gifted by the "Don't Quit" campaign, which hopes to make fitness a priority for students. The campaign is headed up by NFGFC Chairman Jake Steinfeld. Steinfeld said that it was important for students to take fitness seriously.
"You're building a great foundation for yourself," Steinfeld said. "And the other thing too is, when the kids, which we've seen, go home and talk about exercise, they get their moms and dads, and their grandmas and grandpas, and their aunts and uncles interested in exercise as well."
Steinfeld got into fitness when he was 13, to improve his own body image. He eventually wanted to go down the professional bodybuilding path, but didn't want to get caught up in steroid usage that many elite bodybuilders did.
Deciding to stay clean, he pivoted to workout music videos, one which aired on MTV. He also took on a teaching role in the gym, becoming one of the first personal trainers. One of his most famous clients was Harrison Ford, who worked with Steinfeld when he was Indiana Jones.
He noted that not everyone would like fitness as a career, but said that all could benefit from fitness beyond the gym.
"It's amazing what you can achieve when you're in a gym," Steinfeld said. "And then you think about all the things, that if I did these exercises that I didn't do yesterday, what else can I do with my life."
Ultimately, the fitness center aims to unlock opportunities for students, staff and the public to reap the benefits of physical fitness and apply it into their own lives, whatever career path they pursue. For those at Emmett Middle School, it's a once-in-a-lifetime gift that will transform their experience in the building.
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