‘Zero Hour’ gets students out of bed, into gym

WASILLA — On an early winter morning at 6 a.m., when many are pressing the last snooze on their alarms, Wasilla High junior Eli Ickes walks into the building ready for a workout.

Every morning, Monday through Friday, a small number of students follow him to attend a class called Zero Hour.

Zero Hour involves intensive weight lifting and physical activities scheduled from 6:15 to 7:15 a.m. This year, 17 dedicated students attend the class run by physical education teacher Nathan Ford. Since its beginnings eight years ago, the class has become as much a part of Wasilla High as the school’s Warrior mascot, representing Wasilla in the same way with “RED”: Responsibility, Excellence, and Determination.

“There doesn’t tend to be many absences. The people there usually want to be there. For me, it’s about being healthier and getting stronger,” Ickes said.

From the beginning, Zero Hour focused on introducing an alternative option for students who wish to take a gym class but struggled with the regular scheduling or distractions. With its small class numbers, Zero Hour offers the benefits of a daily physical education class, but without the usual interferences. Students are given the opportunity to focus on their goals without wasted time.

“I was teaching five different weight-lifting classes so I asked kids if they would be interested in an early morning option. I immediately got feedback. It was something that my students wanted. After some planning, Zero Hour took off,” Ford said.

The decision to have Zero Hour sets Wasilla High apart from other Valley schools. Zero Hour at WHS is the only chance for taking a class like this throughout the district.

First time Zero Hour enrollee WHS junior Kayla Munday takes full advantage of the class, “Zero Hour allows me to excel in the other things I do, like sports and school. It helps me wake up in the morning so I can be alive in my first hour, and I’ve been feeling stronger since I decided to take it.”

Danika Ingersoll is a junior at WHS. She enjoys being physically active and sleeping in.