Gym Facilities for St Johns Park High School

When St Johns Park Bowling Club made a generous donation of $15,000 for St Johns Park High School’s new gym, the tight knit crew of teachers and students wasted no time getting to work to make their dream a reality.

School Principal, Effie Narcas, and Deputy Principal, Steven Doud, quickly actioned administration and risk assessment duties, while the entire PDHPE Faculty rolled up their sleeves and spent countless volunteer hours cleaning and painting the area, before finally installing the new equipment. They called upon the expertise of Andrew McPherson, Design and Technology Teacher, to assist with flooring, gym fit out and maintenance planning, while Don Ho kindly gave up his table tennis storage space of over 15 years, to allow this project to proceed.

The new gym fit-out was officially opened on 26 June 2018, by St Johns Park Bowling Club Marketing Manager, Debbie Hilder. “The result of this team effort is testament to the relentless dedication these teachers show their students”, said Ms Hilder. “This project was not just about building a gym, it is a heart-warming story of teachers who have given up many hours of their own time for the wellbeing of their students”.

The benefits of the new gym area and equipment will extend far beyond sports training for the school’s elite athletes. Research shows that key benefits of accessible gym facilities for high school students include the development of healthy lifestyle habits, stress reduction and an increased focus on learning.