There is one thing children have come to loathe just as much as homework; the beep test. A race composed of continuously running back and forth between a twenty meter distance is by no means a simple feat, but one that requires both physical and mental fitness.For those who’re unfamiliar with it, the beep test is simply running from one side of a line to the other. A machine tells you what level you are on accompanied by a loud ‘beep’. As time goes on the levels become higher and the sound of the ‘beep’ comes quicker. It is your job to get to the other side before it beeps.Ask anyone about this vigorous test and I’m sure you’ll get multiple opinions on how they feel about it. I, for one, know that hearing even a mere mention of the beep test in my middle school days would result in me dropping my shoulders and involuntarily groaning. It was second nature for my peers to follow suit and until now I had always thought everyone else thought the same.It seems I have been mistaken.Recently, I had the pleasure to visit Dellwood Middle School. Walking in I was greeted by seven students who looked eager to begin. Before I was even inside the gym the participants were shuffling up and down, getting warmed up.Dazha Dillas, Zariah Amory, Briquana Santucci, Zecoa Thomas, Brenton Davis, Yontz Sutton and Akim Johnston were all bright eyed, bushy tailed and ready to get down to business. This was the exact opposite as to what I had expected. It was nice to see children ready to do something productive, and fulfilling, like exercising.Sitting down, my trusty notepad in hand, the race began. The runners ran to and fro, to and fro, feverishly pushing their legs to make it to the other side in time.At first the pace was slow. I could clearly see the students making sure that they didn’t waste all of their energy in the beginning. It was not long, however, until they were at a jogging pace. The levels came and went. Though it looked like they could go on forever, unfortunately, on level 3.6, the first person was out.Then more and more people got out, stopping on levels like 7.2, 7.6, 8.9, 9.1 and 9.3. All levels showed great fitness and determination. Finally, when there was only one person left, the beep went off and he missed the line by mere seconds.At the end, as everyone caught their breath and were cooling down, I got to talk to the students, especially Akim Johnston who came out on top with a level of 11.4.“It’s a good way to stay fit,” one of the girl’s said. A boy added in that it was tiring, but all right. One boy in particular said that they didn’t feel tired and the fact that they were bouncing on their heels reinforced this.Later when I talked to Akim Johnston he told me, catching his breath, that he normally does track and field. This would explain his amazing stamina.He told me that running and things of that nature are all right with him. The beep test, though tiring, is a great way to keep in shape. Even though the others did not make it to the highest level they still had fun and stayed active while doing it.