The weight room morning sessions began January 11, 2016 and opens at six thirty every morning with Mr. Didona as the activity supervisor.

Mr. Didona is a special education classroom assistant. This is his first year at Phoenix, but he has been involved with the school since 2011 with the PMA Poetry Team. Now he has become involved with the weight room as well.

“I think the equipment is a great opportunity for PMA students to get healthier,” said Mr. Didona.

The weight room is opening it’s doors to the students at Phoenix to improve their health.

“The morning weight room sessions are a great idea because they allow students with busy schedules after school to be physically active,” said Mr. Didona.

Almost every student at Phoenix is involved in some sort of extra- curricular activity and the weight room creates new opportunity for involvement.

“This allows for me to build a rapport with students and allows students to maintain more healthy lifestyles,” said Mr. Didona.

Due to the STEM grant, Phoenix had $40,000 to remodel the weight room. Not only is it being used in the morning, but the Sophomore Prepsters occupy it after school with Col. Harris conducting physical training.

“We exercise every Tuesday after school and the new equipment provides a variety of different exercise that everyone can or wants to do. I think it’s great that the school is slowly progressing,” said sophomore Cristina Maldonado.

Exercise is now being emphasized more at Phoenix. The JROTC periods are also trying to incorporate the new Army physical training into their curriculum and the weight room contributes to that.

“The new equipment almost makes it appealing to want to exercise,” said Maldonado.