Please give me a moment to brag about my husband here. With eighteen years of teaching, an education degree, and an MBA, Jason is a wise guy (in more ways than one :). He is innovative in the way he approaches his classes. Sure, he wants students to learn to live life in healthy ways with movement at the core. But, “traditional” sports can feel intimidating and exclusive sometimes.
So for years, he’s done it differently. He turns scooters into cars and recreates “Mario Kart” in his gym. He sets up stations, gives kids iPads, and has them hunt for Pokemon. He designs ninja zones and ropes courses complete with zip lines and even hosts guest visitors from the popular show American Ninja Warrior. He dresses up as Chewbaca to play Star Wars tag. He spends hours on the weekends setting things up and getting them right. Harper and Jameson are his happy test subjects who reap the benefit of having a dad in this position. Certainly, the kids he teaches are the winners, too. They have a Jason as their physical education teacher.
A few years ago, Jason thought it would be fun to bring skateboarding in to his P.E. classes. Little did he know that his brainstorm would spark a business model change for good for a local skate company, but also gain such positive enthusiasm and momentum for elementary school kids. Square Skate State was a small company, just a few guys giving lessons in their warehouse. Now, they teach in multiple schools across the Front Range.
Last week, Colorado Public Radio came to Eagle Crest to do a story about this. Though I am very obviously biased, I am also confident that this story will warm your heart. It is objectively uplifting. The kids’ voices will make you smile and perhaps even bring a tear or two to the corners of your lids.
Give it a read and, even better, click the orange “Listen Now” button.
Here’s to all the public educators out there doing amazing things every day. Your stories may not be highlighted, but your spirit is unmatched.
Jason, congratulations. You are just so neat.
