ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) — As parents and teachers worry about childhood obesity, one Twin Cities school decided to do something about it.

St. Paul’s E-STEM Middle School just won a contest sponsored by the National Foundation for Governor’s Fitness Councils, which awarded the school with $100,000 worth of new exercise equipment.

It was a pumped crowd that opened the celebration at the school Monday. The dance team lead the way with a winning workout as other students cheered and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and fitness guru Jake Steinfeld looked on. Steinfeld is the chair of the foundation.

“You get into this fitness center and maybe you have not worked out on exercise equipment and you try something and you say, ‘I can do this,’ and you start standing up a little bit straighter, you are exercising more,” Steinfeld said.

Walz, himself a former middle school teacher, gave the kids a shout out.

“The idea of you being as healthy as you can; the idea of you being safe and welcome; the idea of you having the best teachers and best resources, and that is what this building is about. That is what this fitness center is about,” Walz said.

Then it was on to the ribbon cutting for the new facility, which features state-of-the-art exercise equipment.

The workout center is the latest amenity at St. Paul’s newest school, and the kids are loving it. Student Markiah Wright said,

“It’s wonderful. We can all stay fit, and also we can work on one part of our body,” student Markiah Wright said.

Student Avery King added, “I think it’s pretty cool to be at a new school and get new things and just have some fun.”

Two other Minnesota schools were also awarded exercise equipment packages.

They are in Breckenridge and Coleraine.