WASHINGTON — Editor's note: The footage above aired in June 2019.
Planet Fitness is helping parents to get their teens out of the house and stay active this summer by offering a one-of-a-kind benefit: a free membership for the entire summer.
The initiative was formerly known as the Teen Summer Challenge, which launched back in 2019 to help students to stay active at a time when gym classes, after-school activities, and school sports programs wind down, according to the company.
The nationwide fitness chain saw more than 90,000 teens sign up and complete more than 5.5 million workouts during the entire summer.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, fewer than 15% of teens were meeting the daily physical activity recommendation during the pandemic.
The company wants teens to feel safe and have a welcoming space when they arrive at any of their locations to get their sweat on in a healthy way.
All teens who sign up for the membership are automatically entered into a drawing for a scholarship, which will reward one student in each state with a $500 scholarship and one grand prize of $5,000 in scholarship money.
To enroll, students must be between the age of 14 and 19 years old. Teenagers under 18 years old must sign up with a parent or guardian either online or in-person at one of their clubs.
High school students can work out for free from May 16 to Aug. 13 at the nearest planet fitness location.
Teenagers looking to enroll in the program can pre-register on the Planet Fitness website.