For a rather small number of students at Northgate, physical education is a required class during the day. For me, that has been the case for all four of my years at Northgate. I cringe at the thought of a school day without going outside and getting some fresh air.

Two years of physical education is required to graduate, and with many different forms of the class, most people easily acquire the necessary two years. There is dance, aerobics, weights, P.E. 9, and P.E. 10, which consists of net sports or team sports.

My class of choice is team sports II, commonly known as net sports. In net sports, teacher Mike Ahn introduces several different sports throughout the year with some of the most popular being badminton, paddle tennis, and ultimate frisbee.

I value P.E. because I need a break from the usual note-taking and tests that occur in a lot of academic classes. Aside from that, P.E. gives me a chance to play sports that I otherwise would not be able to play, opening me up to sports I am not generally familiar with.

“P.E. gives me an opportunity to be a part of competitions during lunch like the Ultimate Frisbee Extravaganza and the Paddle Tennis Invitational,” senior Nick Krauth mentioned.

Many students at Northgate feel they need to cram heavily academic classes into their schedule, and most do not take more than the required years. The irony in that is the fact that increased physical activity throughout the day can help your academics.

The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention found that physical education classes increase test scores and students’ focus. So if you are serious about school, take P.E.

P.E. also guides students toward a healthy lifestyle, something that is more important than any AP class. “I would hope that people take additional years of P.E because they enjoy being active,” Ahn said. “Also, a person might not want to be in a classroom for every period throughout the day.”

The Mayo Clinic found that physical activity also provides an excellent source for stress relief, which could definitely be beneficial to a lot of students at Northgate.

“What is interesting is seeing growth of a student,” Ahn said. “Whether physical growth or character growth, the difference between a 15 year old and an 18 year old is huge.”