“I’ve known that I’ve wanted to be a teacher since I was in sixth grade, as crazy as that might sound,” Megan Hubbard said.

ANY QUESTIONS?: Ms. Hubbard responds to a student’s question about the new health material learned in class. The rest of the class sat finishing their assignment, asking Ms. Hubbard or their neighbors if they needed help. “I’m here for them 100% of the time, and students should know that if they take the time to see what health can offer then I think they’ll be a lot better off in the long run.”

She credited her inspiration to her elementary school gym teacher, who she said got every student excited about PE. Her own experience with sports also gave her insight into what a PE class can be.

“I’ve played sports my entire life, and I like giving kids the chance to find a sport that they’ve never experienced before. Also, I don’t want them to feel like just because they’re not athletic doesn’t mean that they can’t succeed in PE; there are ways to stand out in PE just by being a leader and having a good attitude.”

She does have her favorite sports–softball and basketball– and will be coaching the junior varsity softball and 7th grade girls’ basketball this year.

“I get to be on the coach’s side of it now, which is exciting. It’s a good opportunity to get to know the kids outside of school and make personal connections, which is fun.”

Teaching health class is another one of Hubbard’s responsibilities and passions.

“It’s unlike any other class in that you get to talk a lot about just the kids in general, so it gives you a really good opportunity to get to know the kids on a personal level. I think the biggest thing that I want my kids to take out of health class is one, that they’re valued– that somebody cares about them and that that will always be the case. And two, just to respect everybody.”

Going back to the roots of her inspiration to become a teacher, Hubbard mentioned, “I really do love my students, it’s such a rewarding profession getting to meet all these kids and be here for them.”