May 2020 Press Release Napier National Teacher of the Year
May 6, 2020
For more information, contact:
KYSHAPE Executive Director Jamie Sparks, 606-315-3737 or kentuckyahperd@gmail.com
Lee County Teacher Recognized as National Teacher of the Year
Jessica Napier has been named the SHAPE America National Health Education Teacher of the Year. Jessica is the middle and high school health education teacher for Lee County Schools in Beattyville, KY. She has taught health education for 18 years. In 2019, she was named Kentucky’s Health Education Teacher of the Year. Jessica then competed against 12 other state Health Education Teachers of the Year before being named the SHAPE America Southern District Teacher of the Year in November 2019. As the District Teacher of the Year, she competed against four other District Teachers of the Year and was officially named the 2020 National Health Education Teacher of the Year by SHAPE America in a virtual awards ceremony last night.
Jessica was an inaugural member of the KYSHAPE Health Education Cadre and also served as a member of the revision committee for the Kentucky Academic Standards for Health Education. She is a member of the Kentucky Healthy Schools Coalition that is working to improve advocacy and state policy for improving student health outcomes in Kentucky. She is the current KYSHAPE Vice-President Elect for Health Education.
Since its inception in 1983, the SHAPE America Teacher of the Year program has provided the opportunity to shine a national spotlight on the dedicated and talented teachers who are ready to take their ideas and skills to a national stage, to be shared with thousands of teachers across the country. The program recognizes outstanding teachers in six categories, including physical education (elementary, middle and high school), adapted physical education, school health education, and dance education. It has proven time and time again to be a program that cultivates future leaders for SHAPE America and their 51 state affiliate organizations.
About SHAPE America and KYSHAPE
SHAPE America – Society of Health and Physical Educators is the national organization that serves as the voice for 200,000+ health and physical education professionals across the nation. Since its founding in 1885, the organization has defined excellence in physical education, and our National Standards for K-12 Physical Education serve as the foundation for well-designed physical education programs across the country.
KY SHAPE/KYSHAPE is the Kentucky state affiliate of SHAPE America.
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