When students visit the Hazelwood Elementary School gym after Spring Break, they’re going to find the space transformed into a bowling alley—something many of them have never before seen.
For Health and P.E. Teacher Robin Walker, creative lessons like the bowling unit reflect a career-long mission to help children become lifelong lovers of movement.
Now, Walker is taking that mission to the national stage.
On Friday, Walker will begin her one-year term as president of SHAPE America, the nation’s leading organization for health and physical education professionals. She is the first K-12 teacher to serve as national president, she said, as the job typically is held by a representative from higher education.
“My goal is to facilitate, help us think outside the box and make sure we’re providing what educators across the country need,” she said. “I can’t wait to get started.”
JCPS Health and Physical Education Academic Specialist Jessica Napier called Walker's national leadership an “incredible honor for our JCPS Health and Physical Education community.”
“Having one of our own serving in a national role reflects the passion, expertise and commitment our educators bring to supporting the health and well-being of students every day,” Napier said. “Robin’s leadership helps amplify the important work happening in JCPS and inspires educators across the country.”
Elevating Kentucky on the national stage
Walker’s involvement with SHAPE America spans two decades. She first became active in 2005 and has since held multiple leadership roles. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she served as president of SHAPE Kentucky, helping lead a statewide rebrand and positioning Kentucky prominently at the national level. She later completed a three-year term on SHAPE America’s Board of Directors before being elected president last spring by members across the country.
Walker says Kentucky, and Jefferson County in particular, has built a strong reputation within SHAPE America.
“We’ve had some really incredible educators come out of Kentucky,” she said, noting that teachers from the state regularly earn regional and national recognition.
She credits SHAPE conferences and professional learning opportunities with helping teachers stay current in a constantly evolving field.
“Education is always changing,” she said. “Sometimes health and P.E. teachers don’t get content-specific professional development at the school level. SHAPE gives us the opportunity to learn from experts across the country and bring that knowledge back to our district.”
How physical education has changed
Throughout her 27-year health and P.E. career, Walker has seen dramatic shifts in physical education.
She began her career in 1997 and has been with Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) since 2018. Walker has also worked in Fayette County and other states and previously served at the Kentucky Department of Education as a K-12 health and P.E. curriculum consultant.
As a student, she experienced more traditional models that emphasized strict performance over personal growth.
“Now we’re giving kids voice and choice,” she said. “We’re focused on skill development, health literacy, confidence and enjoyment of movement.”
Leading with vision
As SHAPE America president, Walker will work closely with the organization’s leadership and board to advance its strategic plan. That includes advocating for health and P.E. nationwide, navigating funding challenges and ensuring the organization remains the leading voice in the profession.
Back at Hazelwood, her students may not realize their teacher is about to lead a national organization. But through innovative lessons and a focus on lifelong wellness, they’re already benefiting from the leadership she now brings to educators across the country.
“At the elementary level, my job is to help kids enjoy movement,” Walker said. “If they leave me with the confidence to try out for a team in middle school, or just to stay active as they grow up, then we’ve done our job.”