CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW)- As schools close for summer, area gyms are offering teenagers free memberships to keep them active and occupied during the summer months.
Both the Brooks Family YMCA and Planet Fitness have programs to give teenagers free access to their facilities.
The Y’s program launched in 2023.
“We were hoping for 200 teens,” CEO Jessica Taylor told Cville Right Now. “We got 1,233 the first year, demonstrating a tremendous need to support teens during the summer months.”
The YMCA offers free membership to teens 13-18. Planet Fitness, which launched its nationwide High School Summer Pass program in 2020.
“Young people are increasingly prioritizing their mental and physical health and making fitness part of their daily lives,” said Colleen Keating, CEO of Planet Fitness, in a statement. “This program gives teens the unique opportunity to build lifelong healthy habits in a welcoming and non-intimidating environment during the important months when school is out.”
At the Y, teens will have full access to all the gym amenities, including the pool, teen center, classes, and the wellness floor, which boasts both machine weights and free weights.
The Teen Center was added in 2024 as an extension to the Y Community Room, with a PlayStation 5 and Xbox 1 as its flagship amenities.
Over the course of the three years the program has been offered, participation has grown steadily, with 1,370 teens registering for membership in 2025, a value of $152,070.
The three-month membership for a teenager would normally cost $111.
A mandatory orientation must be completed by the teens looking to use weights, to ensure that proper gym etiquette is followed at all times.
