Each morning for the past seven years, Wellness teacher Matt Jerina has been helping teachers become more physically and emotionally healthy through circuit training and constructive workouts.

Because he coaches in the afternoons, Jerina only has the early morning hours available. From 6:30-7 a.m., as many as 10 teachers attend his early-bird sessions. He sets everything up, whether it be medicine balls, weights, or dumbells, and has the set written on the whiteboard.

Typical faces during these morning sessions include staff members Mr. Tim Haskett, Ms. Mary Beth Nawor, Ms. Gail Moesta, Mrs. Megan Stoll, and Mr. Ryan Abrams. People can go in and out of the program, and all teachers are welcome to participate.

“I’ve made friends with other staff members I wouldn’t normally interact with. I’ve made connections with people throughout the whole building,” he said.

When the program started, it was a large group of teachers who were split into groups- three to four teachers per trainer. The program was offered multiple times a day. However, over time the program dissipated, only for it to be revived by Jerina.

Jerina continued the program because it is “a lot of fun,” and he “enjoys working with the teachers.”

He doesn’t get paid; instead, he does it out of the goodness of his heart.

“He is the most generous, thoughtful, and creative person I’ve ever met,” said Stoll, a second-year member of the club. “He can figure out where you are in terms of fitness, what’s going to be a challenge, and he will push you and help you believe you can go even further.”

Nawor, a five-year member, said that Jerina “believes in what he teaches,” and he’s both “dedicated and passionate.”

The group has become extremely close over the years. Moesta described the team as “a part of our everyday life.”

“You never want to let the group down by not showing up to a workout,” she said.

The teachers said they have noticed a significant change in their mental and physical health, which was a huge goal for Jerina.

“Working out is the most important aspect of your day. If I feel healthy, I think I am a better teacher,” he said.

Nawor said that it is “amazing” for her mental health and is helpful to her students because she “comes into class a lot calmer.”

Moesta loves that she “gets more done before seven o’clock than tons of people.”

He offers the classes even in the summer, giving workouts on spreadsheets in order to encourage healthy habitats even when not in school.

“He is a guy that will find a way–I can’t imagine my day without the training,”  Moesta said.