Originally published May 21, 2018 by WEARtv.com
By Renee Beninate
Physical education (P.E.) classes at Beulah Elementary School and Ferry Pass Middle School in Escambia County are anything but ordinary.
“Our physical education teachers are masters of tricking kids into wanting to live a healthy lifestyle by making it fun,” Casandra Waller with the Escambia County School District said.
Teachers at both the schools use non-traditional methods to keep students healthy and fit, like creating their own games and blasting music to keep energy levels high.
The P.E. programs at Beulah Elementary School and Ferry Pass Middle School in Escambia County were recognized by SHAPE Florida. Photo by Renee Beninate
“We just try to get away from the old-school roll the balls out and play all the time and really follow our standards and curriculum,” said Dustin Brenton, a P.E. teacher at Ferry Pass Middle School.
Now their unique approaches are being recognized.
Beulah Elementary won the ‘SHAPE’, or Society of Health and Physical Education, top elementary P.E. program in Florida.
Ferry Pass Middle School won the middle school category.
“We’re a mid-size school district, but it’s not about where you are, it’s about the quality of your program,” Waller added.
The programs are judged in several categories, including adherence to state and national standards, quality of instruction, and student-teacher interactions.
“It’s more fun because they think of different things to do, to keep us more active,” said Emmaus Williams, a 7th grader at Ferry Pass Middle School.
Teachers tell us they hope to help kids form healthy habits and fight obesity in the future.
“It shows that we are trying our best to meet all of the standards from the state and the nation and doing our personal best part to keep our kids healthy to form a healthy generation in the future,” said Whitney Voeltz, a P.E. teacher at Beulah Elementary School.
The schools will be formally recognized at an award ceremony in Orlando this October.
P.E. teachers at Beulah Elementary School that will be recognized include Todd Aulger, Whitney Voeltz, and Karen Sawyers.
Dustin Brenton, Kris Lapata, and Candy Prince will be honored from Ferry Pass Middle School.
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