FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Lisa Rakoz of Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to be Honored With Joy of Effort Award at SHAPE America National Convention
RESTON, VA, February 23, 2017 — Lisa Rakoz, the Healthiest Next Generation Program Supervisor at the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, will be recognized with the Joy of Effort award by SHAPE America – Society of Health and Physical Educators, officials announced today. Given in recognition of her distinguished service, dedication, and commitment to improving physical activity, the Joy of Effort Award, designed by sculptor R. Tait McKenzie, will be presented during the organization's 132nd National Convention & Expo in Boston.
The Joy of Effort award recipient will be announced on Friday, March 17 at the SHAPE America Hall of Fame Banquet, sponsored by Human Kinetics, an employee-owned company committed to serving the physical activity field, and Sportime featuring SPARK — innovators of equipment and evidence-based programs for physical educators.
According to SHAPE America President Jackie Lund of Georgia State University, "this award honors an individual who exemplifies the highest standards in accomplishment, innovation, and leadership. It is Lisa's sincere desire and passion to provide the most educationally sound program where she leads and advocates for quality health and physical education in schools."
Joining Rakoz at the banquet will be Christine Brennan, national sports columnist for USA Today, who will be inducted into the SHAPE America Hall of Fame. Others to be honored during the Hall of Fame Banquet will be National Physical Education Teachers of the Year for elementary, middle and high school and National Teachers of the Year for adapted physical education, dance and health.
Lisa Rakoz joined the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) in 2004 as the Supervisor for Health and Physical Education supporting 295 school districts to implement quality health and physical education. She has dedicated her life to teaching health and PE for the past 34 years and is currently in a leadership role as the agency liaison for Governor Jay Inslee's Healthiest Next Generation Initiative. The focus of the initiative is to create healthy schools so that every child has the opportunity to grow up active and healthy. She has served on several boards and committees and been an active member in AAHPERD/SHAPE America since 2000, SHAPE Washington since 1987 and the Society of State Directors of HPE since 2005.
Rakoz has provided professional development on standards, assessments and best practices in health and physical education at local, state and national levels. Because of her passion and love for healthy children, last year she provided 33 trainings to 685 participants from 255 districts (of 295, 86 percent) on strategies to strengthen physical education, encourage physical activity and champion whole child education to support SHAPE America's commitment to 50 Million Strong, empowering all children to lead healthy and active lives through effective health and physical education programs.
For more than 30 years Rakoz has served in a variety of leadership positions with SHAPE Washington and served as the Washington State Representative on the SHAPE America Northwest District Board.
She has also received the SHAPE Washington Honor Award in 2008, and was the WAHPERD (now SHAPE Washington) Health Education Teacher of the Year in 1996. Rakoz received her Bachelor of Science degree in physical education and a minor in special education from The University of New Mexico and her master's degree in education from Central Washington University.
For more information about SHAPE America's National Convention & Expo, visit the website and follow #SHAPEBoston.
###
About SHAPE America
SHAPE America - Society of Health and Physical Educators is committed to ensuring all children have the opportunity to lead healthy, physically active lives. As the nation's largest membership organization of health and physical education professionals, SHAPE America works with its 50 state affiliates and national partners to support initiatives such as the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, Let's Move! Active Schools and the Jump Rope For Heart/Hoops For Heart programs.
Since its founding in 1885, the organization has defined excellence in physical education, and our resources provide the leadership, professional development and advocacy that support health and physical educators at every level - from preschool to university graduate programs. For more information, visit www.shapeamerica.org.