By Shay Sinnott, Get Fit, St Mary of the Hills (Updated 7:20 09.25.14)

If you’re out for a jog in Milton, St. Mary of the Hills  School just may be your new destination.

In an effort to inspire a healthy lifestyle and to make fitness fun, St. Mary’s has installed an impressive new fitness trail in the yard. The trail includes ten stations in which students and families can learn new exercise techniques as well as perfect and strengthen basic skills. The trail focuses on important stretches to ensure safety in the fitness workout. It also concentrates on core strength, balance, muscle toning, cardiovascular conditioning,  and new ways to challenge and take basic exercises like push-ups, to the next level.

The school was able to raise money for the Fitness Trail through the annual spring auction in 2013.  It was installed in mid September by SMH’s Phys Ed teacher, Mr. Asadoorian (Mr. A) with the help of a team of parents and students who volunteered their time and efforts.

Shortly after the Fitness Trail was installed, Mr. A conducted an instruction session for the entire school to ensure that students use the trail in the safest most effective way possible. Students volunteered to demonstrate how to use each station in front of their classmates. “It is our hope that all of the St. Mary of the Hills community enjoys and benefits from this fitness program now that it is installed,” says the school administrative assistant, Eileen Paris.

Aine Farrell, an 8th grader at St. Mary of the Hills, volunteered with her whole family (Parents Claire and Sean, and brother Lorcan) to help install the stations. She explained her involvement in the project:

“It was really cool to work as a team with people who just wanted to help. We had volunteers with no construction background willing to learn how to accomplish this project.”

Aine’s father, Sean Farrell, of Sean Farrell Excavation, went so far as to bring a backhoe to help with the installation process, making the day much easier.

Mr. Asadoorian led the team as a big advocate in the Fitness Center.

“Installing these 10 Fitness Stations on our school grounds shows our commitment to a healthy school community. Students, parents and staff are all welcome to use the stations and they will help you get fit. These stations are now a part of our Physical Education curriculum and our chance to make a difference teaching our students how to love a healthy lifestyle.”

St. Mary of the Hills would like to extend special thanks to Mike Braga, the Burke family, the Farrell Family, Hannah Kilson, Andy Stuppard, Tory White, Darryl Houston, Ryan Foster, Harold Raymond, Dwane Barrett, Trish Hurley, the Keyes, the Burns, Patrick Grogan, 7th grade students Daneev, Alyssa, and Isabell, and Principal Mary Carberry for their amazing efforts in this project.