ESU host for state convention
Focus is health and physical education
By Brandy Nance
Monday, October 23, 2006
More than 500 people will flock to a conference at Emporia State University on Nov. 2 and 3 for a convention for health and physical education professionals.
Joella Mehrhof, a professor in the health, physical education and recreation division of ESU, said this is the first of three years the university will host the event, the Kansas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance convention. The convention will be geared for teachers in kindergarten through 12th grade.
“This is the first year that we’ve gotten outside grants,” Mehrhof said. “We’ve (received) almost $10,000 to bring in outside presenters. We’ve been working on this for a year.”
The convention will feature a wide array of topics from how to teach developmentally appropriate tumbling to prevention of bullying in middle and high school students. The two days are broken up into several sessions with a social and awards banquet on Thursday evening.
Mehrhof said new and first-year teachers will get special treatment, extra gifts and money to buy items at the exhibits plus autographed books.
“It’s kinda fun to grab them their first year out and treat them like royalty,” Mehrhof said.
The convention not only benefits those who attend, it has benefits for majors in the health-promotion program at ESU. It took the whole department to put the conference on, Mehrhof said.
“It’s good experience for our student majors,” she said. “A lot of students don’t get to do that. This way they get to do (things) and have a hand in professional development.”
Mehrhof said the conference also will benefit Emporia, as it will draw a large group of people.
“We try to contribute in the community,” she said. “They will eat at the restaurants, stay in hotels and buy stuff here in town.”