Gymnasts Plead School Board to Keep Program Alive

About 30 girls dressed in leotards and black tracksuits sat in unison during the Half Hollow Hills Board of Education meeting Monday night at  to ask school officials to allow their gymnastics program to remain within the district.

After 40 years of Hills Gymnastics, a non-profit athletic program, being held at , the school board decided in that the equipment could longer be stored within the school because of space constraints and insurance liabilities. Without a place to keep the items, such as mats and beams, the program is being forced to leave.

During the meeting, the girls spoke about how the program has enhanced their experience as Half Hollow Hills students and community members.

“I look forward to returning to school each fall because of this club,” Nina Frieberger, a senior, said to the board. “We always all root for each other and there is team unity…please help us.”

Emily Cooper, a graduate of Half Hollow Hills and now a senior at Stony Brook University, spoke about how the program enriched her life so much that she now returns to help coach the next generation of Hills gymnasts. Cooper, who earned the Triple-A Award for excellence in academics, arts and athletics during high school, said that it was because of the program that she was able to be successful in all areas.

“This place is like a second home to me,” she said.

Hills Gymnastics is not an official school activity, but since the district does not have a junior varsity team, it is the main stepping-stone the student gymnasts employ so that they are able to compete on the high school level. Without the non-profit program, many students would not be able to participate on the varsity team since private instruction is often a very costly endeavor for families, parents said.

“This is the team that gives you your high school gymnastics," parent Craig Silvino told the board. "You really need to rethink this."

Maggie Springall, whose childen particpate in the program, presented a list of options to the board that might help to lessen the insurance liability of keeping the equipment within the school such as a sign telling students not to climb on the mats or using a space divider which is employed by other schools.

“We want to work with you,” she said.