With the start of the winter comes shorter days, chillier air, and, most importantly, winter season gym classes. While students were presented with the usual variety of options, one new choice hit the list, thanks to three senior girls and one English teacher.

The Hackley Outdoors Club is a new, possibly limited-run gym option led by English teacher Michael Canterino and comprised of 11 senior girls and 1 junior girl — a “dirty dozen,” as Mr. Canterino put it.

The club, which is essentially a P.E. class, meets Mondays and Wednesdays each week throughout the winter season. The group goes on hikes around campus, changing up the route every time. During some hikes they will even stop to play a game of some sorts, one being “Werewolf,” created by former Hackley English teacher Reagan Russell. When the class meets, Mr. Canterino lets the 12 students decide where they would like to hike for the day and they stay out for about an hour.

Mr. Canterino is no stranger to Hackley sports — he has helped coach the JV Girls’ Soccer and JV Boys’ Lacrosse teams, but this is the first gym class he has been a part of. “Towards the end of the soccer season, Carina [Burroughs], Ella [Charkes], and Kelly [Castro-Blanco] came up to me and they were like, ‘We have a question for you!,’” he said.

They did not initially ask him the question, but eventually showed up at the end of one of his ninth grade English classes. “They pitched their idea to me in this way: Hiking. Canterino. Apparel,” he said.

Though each member of the class loves being in it, Mr. Canterino thinks it is a one-year deal considering the founding members are graduating this spring.  “If another group asks me in a following year, I would be happy to do it. One of the things I like about the club is that it is small – it’s capped at around 12,” Mr. Canterino explained. “It’s a nice little cohort and they are all friends with each other.”

“I know from my experience here, it’s those out-of-classroom moments that you’ll take with you,” said Mr. Canterino. “Those are the things you’ll take with you — being around campus, being with each other, and the funny moments you share.”