Ribbon-cutting celebrates new RMHS Fieldhouse training and weight rooms funded by Claudia Miksen
(4-5 minute read)
New weight training equipment installed at the RMHS Fieldhosue as part of the recent facility renovation. Photo by Taylor Gregory.
Students, school leaders, coaches, and Town officials gathered Thursday evening, February 12, 2026, at the Reading Memorial High School Hawkes Fieldhouse to celebrate the ribbon cutting of a newly renovated training and weight room facilities - made possible through a significant private donation from Reading resident Claudia Miksen.
The ceremony began at 6:15 pm in the Fieldhouse lobby before attendees moved upstairs to tour the renovated weight room, then returned to the first floor to see the training room. Members of the Select Board, School Committee, and Superintendent Dr. Tom Milaschewski were in attendance, along with coaches, staff, and members of the RMHS football team who came out to show their support.
The upgraded rooms, now a modernized weight room and athletic training room, are already seeing significant use and are designed to support not only student-athletes but also the broader student body and staff.
From a summer conversation to a finished facility
Athletic Director Tom Zaya described the project as a true team effort that began with a phone call last July. After meeting with Miksen to discuss school needs, the concept quickly developed into a full renovation plan focused on broad student benefit.
Custom wall designs incorporate Rockets imagery and town references throughout the training space. Photo by Taylor Gregory.
Zaya said Miksen “has a heart of gold” and emphasized that her goal was to help the entire school community, not just athletes, but all students and staff. He highlighted the upgraded training room as state-of-the-art and thanked the many contributors who helped bring the project to fruition.
“Once a Rocket, always a Rocket,” he said, expressing deep appreciation for the partnership and the outcome.
Superintendent Milaschewski echoed that gratitude, calling the project a powerful example of partnership between community members and the schools and noting the significant impact the improvements will have on student health, safety, and performance.
Coaches: investment goes beyond equipment
Head football coach John Fiori thanked Miksen and supporters, saying that both on-field and off-field success grow from opportunity and belief.
New equipment and layout allow full classes to train safely and efficiently. Photo by Taylor Gregory.
He told students the message behind the gift is clear: the community cares, hard work matters, and excellence is expected. He encouraged students to honor the generosity by striving to be their best - not only physically, but in discipline, habits, and personal growth - calling the renovation an investment in character as much as conditioning.
Health and wellness teacher and volleyball coach Michelle Hopkinson spoke about the broader educational impact. She framed the newly renovated facilities as part of a larger lesson in kindness and community support, noting that when students see generosity in action, it motivates them to work harder and support one another. She also highlighted the importance of upgraded training resources to protect student safety and deliver high-quality care, especially during recent weeks of intense athletic activity.
She described the project as an investment in teamwork, well-being, and lifelong health.
Donor: “A dream is a reality”
The modernized weight room gives students access to college-style training resources. Photo by Taylor Gregory.
Miksen called it an honor to give back to Reading, a community she said she loved being a part of. She thanked several people who helped along the way, including her parents, close friend John O’Keefe, school leadership, and Athletic Director Zaya. She also credited fitness consultant Nick Sweat of Power Fitness for playing a major role in the project's design and delivery.
Construction began around Thanksgiving, she said, and seeing the finished space fulfilled a long-held vision. “The dream is now a reality,” she told attendees.
School officials noted that two naming requests are currently before the School Committee regarding the gift. The proposals would name the fitness center the Robert and O. Elizabeth Miksen Fitness Center and designate the athletic training space as the Robert Miksen Training Center/Room/Suite, with formal recognition of Claudia Miksen as the donor. Decisions on the naming requests are expected to be presented at a future School Committee meeting.
Designed for students, built to college-level standards
Reading resident Claudia Miksen cuts the ribbon held by RMHS football players, officially opening the renovated fitness and training rooms. Photo by Taylor Gregory.
Nick Sweat explained that the design process focused on student input and long-term durability. The equipment and layout were selected to introduce students to proper strength-training tools and techniques while making workouts more accessible and guided.
Features include built-in rep counters and timers, QR codes on equipment that link to instructional demonstrations, and layouts that allow a full class of about 20 students to train simultaneously. The room includes a dedicated cardio wall, durable bamboo lifting platforms, and weight racks similar to those used in Division I college programs.
Visual elements throughout the space reinforce school identity, with Reading colors and community references, including RMHS, Rockets branding, and the town zip code, integrated into the wall graphics.
Together, speakers described the renovation not simply as a facility upgrade, but as a community-driven investment in student opportunity, safety, and growth - one that will benefit Reading students for years to come.
