Fit, Healthy and Ready to Learn: WCPSS Educators Receive Top Honors


Enloe Healthful Living teacher Rebecca Clark, winner of Outstanding High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year with Zebulon Healthful Living teacher Barnanne Creech, who is North Carolina Physical Education Association President.

Vance principal Don Rose, winner of Distinguished Principal Award; Vance PE teacher Tonya Wicker, Vance teacher Jody Hartman, winner of Outstanding Classroom Teacher Award; and Lloyd Gardner, Southern Area Superintendent

Lufkin Road Healthful Living teacher Fernando Ortega, winner of Outstanding Middle School Physical Education Teacher of the Year with Zebulon Healthful Living teacher Barnanne Creech, who is North Carolina Physical Education Association President.

Betsy Beals, Northwoods PE Teacher, winner of NCAAHPERD Service Award pictured with Mr. Eddie Davis, President, NCAE. NCAE received the Advocacy Award for their promotion of school-based wellness through the implementation of the Wellness Walk program.

December 1, 2006 - Wake County Public School System educators earned top honors at the annual meeting of the North Carolina Alliance for Athletics, Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance held in Greensboro. The WCPSS teachers earning recognition included Joanna Caves of Martin Middle School, Rebecca Clark of Enloe High School, Fernando Ortega of Lufkin Road Middle School and Betsy Beals of Northwoods Elementary School.

Martin Middle School Dance Teacher Joanna Caves has been named the 2006 Middle School Dance Educator of the Year.

Caves has been a dance teacher at Martin for the past 10 years. As a young student, she credits her public school dance education experience for opening her eyes to many possibilities found in the "world of dance." Through her program at Martin, Joanna's students learn technique, dance history, technology, body awareness, healthy living, improvisation, composition and performance skills.

"It is not my goal to turn students into the best technicians possible. It is my goal to teach them about being the best possible people they can be, using dance as the vehicle," says Caves. "Most students find a passion for dance that stays with them long after they leave me."

Enloe High PE Teacher Rebecca Clark has been named the 2006 NC High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year.

Clark has been a physical education teacher at Enloe for 13 years. Known as an individual with a unique passion for teaching and a determined drive to help all students to be successful, she is a "master motivator" in helping her students to get the most out of the physical education program. She has been instrumental in using technology throughout the health and fitness program. Examples of this include the use of Polar Heart Rate Monitors, the TriFit System, Wellness Center equipment, and the HopSports Core Training System. Always looking for new ways to motivate her students, she helped develop a freshman "buddy program" and a student mentoring program to increase student achievement.

Lufkin Road Middle PE Teacher Fernando Ortega has been named the 2006 NC Middle School Physical Education Teacher of the Year.

Fernando Ortega has been a physical education teacher for the past 14 years. He is currently on the Healthful Living Education staff at Lufkin Road Middle School in Wake County. With a love for the sport of soccer, Fernando also serves as the Strength and Conditioning Coach for North Carolina State University's Men's Soccer Team. His ability to instruct and motivate college level athletes and middle school youth is a testament to his love of teaching. Fernando's physical education lessons are designed to promote fitness and encourage skill development through "action-based" physical education where students are constantly active.

Northwoods Elementary School PE Teacher Betsy Beals was named by North Carolina Alliance for Athletics, Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (NCAHPERD) as the winner of its 2006 Service Award.

Beals began her undergraduate studies at Elon University before transferring to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she finished her Bachelor's degree. A member of NCAAHPERD since college, Betsy held her first Alliance volunteer position as the Physical Education Association (PEA) Secretary. She has served as a PEA regional representative, delegate to the national Representative assembly, Physical Education Public Information (PEPI) Coordinator, Alliance Convention Exhibits Manager, and as the Jump Rope for Heart/Hoops for Heart Joint Projects Coordinator.

Betsy is a former North Carolina Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year and was also selected as the NASPE Southern District Elementary Teacher of the Year.

Beals earned the 2006 Service Award for her on-going contributions to NCAAHPERD and the field of education.

The alliance recognized
· Vance Elementary Principal Don Rose with the Distinguished Principal Award for his support of quality physical education.
· Vance Elementary teacher Jody Hartman with the Outstanding Classroom Teacher Award for her support and integration of Physical Education within and beyond the classroom.
· The Lufkin Road Middle School Healthful Living staff with the Outstanding Middle School Physical Education Program of the Year.
· Lufkin Road Middle School Healthful Living Teacher and Hoops for Heart Coordinator Jennie Jones in conjunction with the Healthful Living Staff at Lufkin Road Middle School was recognized as sixth in the state for top money raisers benefiting the American Heart Association's Hoops for Heart program.

The North Carolina Alliance for Athletics, Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (NCAAHPERD) is one of North Carolina's oldest professional associations. The association is dedicated to the advancement of research and education within the fields of athletics, health, physical education, recreation, and dance. The association's mission is to provide advocacy, professional development, and unity for health, physical education, recreation, dance, and athletics professionals and students in order to enhance and promote the health of North Carolinians.


Vance PE teacher Tonya Wicker, who is Vice President of North Carolina Physical Education Association; WCPSS Healthful Living coordinating teacher Ben Stern; Lufkin Road Healthful Living teachers Marti Capaforte, Jennie Jones and Fernando Ortega, who is winner of Outstanding Middle School Physical Education Teacher of the Year; Enloe principal Beth Cochran; Enloe Healthful Living teacher Rebecca Clark, who is winner of Outstanding High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year; Enloe assistant principal Andrew Livengood; WCPSS Healthful Living Senior Administrator Ann Hulslander; and Lloyd Gardner, Southern Area Superintendent.

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