Helix Charter HS Will Get Revamped Weight Room with $75K Chargers Grant

Physical education students and athletic teams at Helix Charter High School will benefit from a ravamped weight room and new fitness equipment, after the school was awarded a $75,000 grant from the San Diego Chargers on Wednesday.

Chargers Champions, a program launched in 2000 for the purpose of helping improve physical fitness of students in San Diego-area schools, donated $250,000 this year to nine different schools.

Helix, along with Mission Bay High School, were awarded the highest-dollar grants, at $75,000 apiece.

“On behalf of the entire Helix Charter High School community, as well as the rest of San Diego educators, I want to thank the Chargers and the Spanos Family for continuing to support our schools,” said executive director Mike Lewis.

Lewis noted that the school’s initial grant request was around $40,000 (it was actually $58,000, as confirmed later), and that it was the first time he’s heard an organization saying “you didn’t ask for enough money. We want to give you the full $75,000.”

The new equipment and improved weight room will serve 2,500 Helix students who take classes in the physical education department. PE Department Chair Donnie Van Hook said that the school hopes to increase the number of weight training classes offered each year from four to about seven or eight.

Van Hook said the school used the grant money to order Spin bikes, medicine balls, kettle bells, and other exercise equipment, in addition to replacing some free weights.

“We knew exactly how we wanted to redesign the weight room, so we ordered everything and hope to have everything installed by Christmas,” said Van Hook. “We want to be up and ready by Term 2, which is Jan 9.”

The weight room was in need of a facelift, according to students, both past and current.

Rocky Fuga, a senior football player, said that the school needed more free weights and bards.

“We need more bars because some of the bars are broken, and it’s hard to fit the weights on them,” he said.

“I’m looking around and I’m seeing some of the weights that I used in the 80s (laughs), so Helix definitely needed to revamp their weight room,” said Leon White, a Helix grad from the Class of 1981. White spent nine years in the NFL as a linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams.  In 1984, he was part of the undefeated Brigham Young University team that won the National Championship. White was named Defensive MVP of the Holiday Bowl that same year.

“This is something that is not only going to help the students here, but La Mesa and the connecting communities as well, so I’m so excited to be a part of this great addition,” White said.

Since it’s inception in 2000, the Chargers Champion program has donated more than $4.5 million to San Diego schools.

“Schools throughout California need our support,” said A.G. Spanos, the team’s  executive vice president and CDO. “We are happy that we can help provide students with necessary means to living a healthy lifestyle through physical fitness."

Van Hook added that the school was appreciative and had a personal message of his own.

“It just goes to show you the Chargers are really invested in the community, and they should not leave town,” he said. “They are better suited for San Diego.”

Helix’s most famous alum, Bill Walton, was expected to attend the event. However, he left town to attend the funeral of Sasha McHale, the daughter of his longtime friend and former teammate Kevin McHale, now coach of the Houston Rockets. Sasha McHale died earlier this week, succumbing to lupus.

Below is the complete list of Chargers Champions donations: