ISU Physical Education Students Gain Hands-on Experience at 2022 SHAPE Conference

SHAPE America serves as the voice for over 200,000 health and physical education professionals across the United States. Idaho teachers gather annually at the Idaho conference to network, share teaching strategies, learn ways to incorporate physical education into the traditional classroom and grow professionally to provide better education to Idaho students. 

College students have always been encouraged to attend SHAPE Conferences; however, they are often limited due to financial constraints and professional insecurities. HPSS students were able to attend the conference because of the grant the College of Education provided, and there they had the opportunity to gain unique professional development and networking opportunities. Events like the SHAPE Conference provide crucial experiences for students to successfully enter the workforce and provide quality education for Idaho students.

“This conference built a sense of family for some of our HPSS students. It was a great experience as an instructor to watch them brainstorm ways to better support physical education students on this campus, in the city of Pocatello, and Idaho,” said HPSS Instructor Isabelle Statkus.

Among the HPSS students who jumped at the opportunity to attend the conference is Dallin Fryar. Fryar is finishing a Master of Arts in Teaching degree and is a HPSS Graduate Assistant. He added, “This experience reaffirmed that I am pursuing the correct type of career, one that I can help to make a difference in kids' lives and help them to understand themselves more.” 

During the conference, HPSS Associate Professor Dr. Elaine Foster was awarded the SHAPE Idaho Distinguished Service award for 12 years of service to the SHAPE Idaho board. Foster also gave a presentation at the conference titled, “The Subjective Experience of Moving: A Better Way to Improve Physically Active Behaviors” which centered on subjective experience versus objective-based engagement and learning ways to promote subjective experiences through the purpose of movement. 

“Movement is a fun human experience, we get to move because we are human, not because of objective goals like our mile time,” said HPSS student Lexus Graybill. “Dr. Foster has helped shape my own teaching philosophy, through classes I have taken from her and this session. The SHAPE Conference was a phenomenal experience and I hope to attend again next year.”