Freshman this year have a lot of things to look forward to. A new lunch hour, a new student section at football games, and….heart monitors. Incoming 9th graders taking Physical Education are now outfitted with heard monitors and uniforms. The uniforms are designed to help make changing quick and convenient, as well as to eliminate questionable dress wear and unsanitary practices. The heart monitors are designed to help monitor students’ physical activity levels during class.

“I’ve never had to wear uniforms in anything before this year,” said Marc Zabit ’18. “They’re ok I guess, but I wish I could wear my own clothes.”

Most freshmen who were asked whether the uniforms were a good idea or not tended to side with not, and many questioned why this new hardware was being implemented.

“I don’t really see the point in the heart monitors,” said Aidan Sanders.

Even though some students may not like or see the benefits of the heart monitors,  the new equipment is helping the PE department help students achieve healthy goals. They are designed to help monitor the athletes’ activity level during the course of a class to make sure students are participating in the curriculum assigned. Previously, P. E. grades were  difficult to grade and based on attendance and completion, but with this new technology teachers can make sure students are adequately exercising.

“This actually allows for a better physical education, since we are able to make sure kids aren’t just standing around,” said Mr. Wood, veteran P.E. teacher. “Before this new equipment, kids could just stand around and so long as they weren’t disruptive, they could get all the points without actually exercising. The heart monitors fix that.”