It is 9:55 a.m., and the bell is echoing throughout the halls, signaling the start of third period. Students stream out of the locker room, preparing for the next hour of competition. It’s time for gym class. 

Throughout the year, gym brings out the best in students, and leaders of classes emerge. Some of these gym class heroes include people like Kidus Yinsu and Camilla Artiedamarin, both exhibiting exceptional effort during the entire class. For them, gym class is not just a place to get some exercise, but an opportunity to branch out socially. 

“[I have] definitely made some new friends this year,” sophomore Kidus Yinsu said.

Aside from the social aspects of class, both of these students try their best and strive to win games. 

“We should have won, but the other team said they won. My partner and I were counting, and their score was off,” freshman Camilla Artiedamarin said. 

Following the intense and high stakes scoring dispute, Artiedamarin conceded and graciously accepted defeat. 

“I yelled at them, but it didn’t work. They just moved up to King of the Court,” Artiedamarin said. 

On the other hand, some athletes have different priorities. 

“My performance was good; I would give it a six out of ten. A lot of it was just me having fun. I wasn’t really trying to take it seriously,” Yinsu said. 

While the competition and fun of gym class is not lost on the students, there are also downsides to what is usually an enjoyable class.

“It doesn’t really take a lot of time, I just find it annoying to have to change all of my clothes every single class,” Artiedamarin said.

In addition to this, hygiene is always a point of contention.

“You go to gym, and you get all sweaty, and some kids don’t have deodorant. The whole day is just ruined,” Yinsu said. 

Despite some of the negatives that come with the class, students are still able to open their minds to the importance of the consistent exercise that gym class brings.

“I definitely think it’s important. APS is always trying to get their kids to stay active in school. I appreciate that,” Yinsu said. 

Students can express themselves while getting physically active, something that is difficult to achieve in other environments. 

“[In gym class] you can do a lot without feeling uncomfortable or left out,” Artiedamarin said. 

While gym class has its ups and downs, one thing is always certain. It is a welcoming community where everyone is able to fit in and make new friends throughout the course of the year. Despite differing levels of success, these student athletes exemplify everything which makes gym class enjoyable.