FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
South Dakota State University Professor to be Honored with National Award
RESTON, VA, March 8, 2017— Dr. Patty Hacker, a professor of Physical Education Teacher Education at South Dakota State University in Brookings, will be honored with the SHAPE America Honor Award for meritorious service by SHAPE America – Society of Health and Physical Educators. The award, which recognizes recipients for their personal integrity, devoted service to the profession, and noteworthy contributions to the advancement of health and physical education, will be presented at the Professional Excellence Awards Ceremony on Thursday, March 16, during the SHAPE America National Convention & Expo in Boston.
"For 44 years Patty Hacker has displayed a sense of pride and confidence as she works with many South Dakota teachers, future teachers and thousands of students, kindergarten thru college," says SHAPE America President Jackie Lund of Georgia State University. "Passionate about teaching and learning, she has focused on developing reflective practitioners and teachers who can teach students to be physically active for a lifetime — and to love working with children while they are teaching them."
A Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (CASTL) Scholar, who shares her love of professional activity with her students, Dr. Hacker contributes to the profession by her active engagement with organizations such as SHAPE America, SHAPE America Central District, NASPE/NCATE program reviewer, COPPPETE, and the Strategies editorial board. She represents SHAPE America as a Site Reviewer for Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), a position she held first for NCATE as a Board of Examiners member since 2006, and now as a Site Visitor for CAPE since 2006. She has also served as a program reviewer for the former National Association for Sport and Physical Education and NCACE, was trained to provide the American Sport Education Program through Human Kinetics, and became a Leader Level trainer. As a member of the National Faculty, she provided the very first training in New Mexico when it was mandated by the state for all coaches. She also served as SHAPE South Dakota Awards Chair/SHAPE Central District Recognition Committee from 1996-2016.
Among her many honors, Dr. Hacker received the SHAPE South Dakota Honor Awards in 1998 and 2016, and was Central District AAHPERD (now SHAPE America) Scholar 2011. She was SDAHPERD College Teacher of the Year 2000, received the SDSU Teaching Excellence Award in 1996, received the Jump Rope For Heart Dakota Affiliate Award in 1992 (ran 25 jump rope events, two Hoops For Heart events and three swim for heart events). For 17 years she coached girls' gymnastics and judged gymnastics (club and high school) for 24 years). An author and grant writer, she has written six funded grants and 10 non-funded grants, 12 publications and three articles submitted for publication. She is currently working on four manuscripts, one with a graduate student.
Dr. Hacker earned her Ph. D. from the University of Wyoming in physical education pedagogy, and a master's degree in physical education from West Virginia University. Her undergraduate degree was a bachelor's degree in education 7-12 from Glenville State College (WV) with a minor in art.
More than 4,000 health and physical education teachers, researchers and other physical activity professionals are expected to attend the convention, which is the largest event of its kind in the country. The convention, which will take place March 14-18, is held in partnership with SHAPE America Eastern District and the Massachusetts Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (MAHPERD). For more information about SHAPE America's National Convention & Expo, visit the website and follow #SHAPEBoston.
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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.