PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION TO MAKE WESTFIELD ADMIN REINSTATE THEIR GIRLS FITNESS CLASS

Westfield’s Girls Fitness class since its creation and launch by Sharlean Grinups in 2010, has given numerous young women at Westfield High School an opportunity to engage and for some be introduced into fitness. Grinups, a long-time PE teacher, launched the first Girls Fitness class in Fairfax County which prompted numerous other schools in the county to follow suit. 

Over the past decade, Girls Fitness has gotten increasingly popular with the class having an extensive waitlist every year. Last year, this prompted Grinups to solely teach Girls Fitness in order to better accommodate the class’ interest. Girls Fitness has between 3-4 sections with Grinups teaching between 80 to 100 girls. 

Grinups has been praised for the work she has done to uplift her girls, create unity amongst them, instill healthier lifestyle choices, and be a trusted adult for them to lean on. One of the core messages of the class is self-confidence and self-esteem. Through activities such as meditation, yoga, boxing, kickboxing, self-defense, bodyweights, dance, zumba, introduction into lifting, gratuity logs, and more, these young women are allowed to express and explore themselves in a safe, judgment-free space. For the past 8 years, Grinups’ efforts have been rewarded by the Community Foundation of Northern Virginia (CFNV). CFNV has given grants which Grinups has used to provide new athletic shoes for every girl in the class. 

The reason given by the Westfield Administration for discontinuing Girls Fitness is “Westfield cannot have a gender-specific class." In order for the class to continue there have been proposed solutions by the school such as a ''neutral'' name change such as “Fitness” and allowing the class to be open to male students. This would completely hinder and void the focal purpose of Girls Fitness. Most of the young women who sign up for the class are either intimidated or simply do not want the pressure of having their male peer’s presence and or judgment. 

Personal Fitness, a weight training class, is offered at Westfield and open to both genders. As girls are progressively feeling more comfortable joining the male-dominant class, they too are predominately athletes like the overwhelming majority of guys in the class. Girls Fitness shows these girls who are not viewed as typical “athletes” that they are in a space full of other girls who are on the same health journey. To be a female especially in this era of social media is brutal and tough. People are not accepting of those who don’t fit a ridiculous “beauty standard” seen online and high school is certainly no exception. 

For Westfield to preach inclusion and the motto- “Each One, Reach One, Teach One” but is taking away a trailblazing class such as Girls Fitness is unacceptable. Westfield Admin claims if this was an “all boys choir” or “all girls STEM club” they would have faced the same issue. This is not the workforce where there are companies and organizations with clear and prevalent gender inequalities and racial discrimination who claim otherwise. This is a class at a high school that is giving young women an opportunity to again become an even better version of themselves. There is so much that can be learned from individuals who are of the same gender, race, ethnicity, or interest all united by a common goal. I am not advocating just for Girls Fitness but for all the other clubs, classes, and groups male and female that are similarly formatted who are spreading positivity and uplifting its members for honest, sincere reasons like Grinups.

As a close, former PE student of Grinups, I know the heart and passion she has for Girls Fitness class. Being able to sit in interest meetings at the electives fair and see the confidence and joy that radiates off her students is truly amazing. There is not much time before students get to choose their classes and before their schedules are finalized in June, so I am asking all of you to sign this petition and email Westfield Administration to show them that Girls Fitness is not just another class they can discontinue. Grinups always tells her girls, “finish what you start,” but their time as a class is certainly not close to finish.